No barrier for JO to rejoin SLFP – SP Chief Minister

Joint Opposition members have no obstacles or been prohibited from rejoining the SLFP as they are followers of the party policy and vision, Southern Province Chief Minister Shan Wijayalal de Silva said.

Disclosing the party’s plain for the upcoming Local Government elections, de Silva said the SLFP will contest all Local Government bodies throughout the country at the upcoming polls.

The Joint Opposition is a dissident fraction of the SLFP. Hence, they can at any time return to the party under the leadership of President Maithripala Sirisena, as they also follow the same political doctrine and policy, he said.

“At present there is only a conceptual tussle within the party. It is not a splitting up of the party. President Sirisena is concerned over party unity. He is ready to do anything to uphold the unity of the party,” the Chief Minster said.

He firmly believes that the party’s forward move and strength depend on the unity among party circles. There is no barrier for anyone to rejoin the party under his leadership,” the Chief Minister said.

He said although the SLFP is a party to the Unity government, it has the right to take its own political decisions as an independent political party.

“We are one of the two biggest political movements of the country. We take our political decisions according to our party policies and vision which would in no way be detrimental to the concept of the National Unity government,” he said.