The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), with the blessings of President Maithripala Sirisena, has unanimously decided to support Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the upcoming Presidential Election, SLFP Senior Vice-President MP Nimal Siripala de Silva announced yesterday.
Addressing the media yesterday at the SLFP Headquarters, de Silva said that after considering all factors, the SLFP decided not to field a candidate.”We had three options, namely, whether to support the UNP, to support the SLPP or keep silent. But as a responsible political party, we cannot keep silent. After several rounds of discussions, the SLFP decided to take a people friendly decision,” he said.
“Though the party has decided to support presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa, we won’t join the SLPP. We have to safeguard the identity of the SLFP and its supporters. So, two Memoranda of Understanding are scheduled to be signed with the SLPP and its candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa.”
“Though this time we couldn’t contest under a common symbol, both parties have agreed to contest all future elections under an alliance named the ‘Sri Lanka Nidahas Podujana Peramuna’ with the symbol of the chair,” de Silva said.
UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera said the UPFA member parties such as MP Arumugam Thondaman’s Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) and A.L.M.Athaullah’s National Congress have also decided to extend their support to Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
SLFP Senior Vice President MP Mahinda Samarasinghe said Sri Lanka is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-lingual country and that diversity has to be protected and nurtured. Considering the economic and security stance of the country have been included in the final policies agreed by both parties.They will be reflected in the manifesto of the Presidential Candidate whom we are supporting.
“We are very comfortable with the fact that the SLFP has not compromised with the party. This is why everyone is behind this particular decision to support Gotabaya Rajapaksa. We have no doubt that he will have an outstanding victory at the Presidential Election scheduled to be held in November 16.” he added.
He further added that Gotabaya Rajapaksa is not a newcomer to anyone.”He is a proven administrator and everybody knows how he functions.What kind of challenges that he had to overcome as the Defence Secretary at a very crucial juncture and how he overcame those challenges are known to us,” he said.
SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara,MPs Ranjith Siyabalapitiya, Thilanga Sumathipala, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Faizer Mustapha and several other MPs and provincial council members participated.
Add new comment