The young SLFPers are requesting the seniors not to squabble and accuse each other in public. Addressing the media yesterday at the SLFP Headquarters, Sri Lanka Freedom Party Youth Wing President Shantha Bandara said that the senior SLFPers should behave in an exemplary manner. Exchanging heated words among the members of the same party is damaging to the party.
He said that the SLFP is a prestigious political party which bought freedom to the country thrice and a party which produced three Presidents to the country.
He also said that since Sri Lanka is a democratic country, anybody has the freedom to form a new party. The final outcome of the party can be seen after forming the party.
"But going by political history of the country, anyone who disobeyed the party leadership has not been successful. Even the Rajaliya Party formed by the most powerful UNPers came a cropped and the rebels had to return to their mother party," he said.
Bandara urther said that the prevailing disputes within the party are nothing new to the SLFP. "Even in the past the SLFP experienced such situations. As a party with a powerful mass base and the largest membership, having disputes among party members is unavoidable." he said.
He further added that the SLFP is not a party of a single individual and it was not formed with an ideology of one person. The SLFP has been formed with a powerful policy, vision and a strong back-bone.
Some people claim that the SLFP is not the Headquarters or the symbol of the party. But all SLFP leaders should think that without the party they can never succeed without the support of the party. So they should love and protect the party.
Shantha Bandara also urged the government to bring reforms to include 40 percent youth into local government bodies before the next poll. "The amendments brought to the Local Government Elections Act in 2012 didn't mentioned anything about youth participation in local government elections. A large number of rural youth are willing to do politics with the SLFP. So the doors of local government bodies should be opened for them to enter politics," he said.
He also added that the government should create the legal background for them to continue their political career starting from the local government level.
SLFP Youth Wing Secretary MP Eric Prasanna Weerawardhana, Southern Provincial Council Member Pasanda Yapa Abeywardane also spoke.
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