The United National Party will certainly suffer a major split, irrespective of who becomes the party's Presidential candidate, Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

Addressing a meeting at the Nelum Mawatha political office of the Sri Lanka Podujana Party, Rajapaksa said a group of UNP MPs have shown callous disregard for the party leadership.

"They don't respect their own leader. That is not a good situation for any party," Rajapaksa said.

He said none of the candidates proposed by the UNP would pose a serious threat to SLPP Presidential candidate Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who decared his candidacy earlier this month.

The meeting was attended by Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Local Government representatives of the SLPP.