Fonseka Reunites With Tiran: Democratic Party Splits

November 11, 2014

Former Army Commander and Leader of the Democratic Party Sarath Fonseka and DNA Parliamentarian Tiran Alles – who were earlier at loggerheads with each other - have arrived at a fresh understanding just two months ahead of the presidential election.

Highly placed political sources revealed Asian Mirror that Fonseka had agreed to pledge his support consolidate UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s position as the potential presidential candidate of the party. According to the agreement, Fonseka, Who was the presidential candidate backed by the common opposition in 2010, had agreed to work together with Premadasa to field the UNP leader as the presidential candidate.

Sarath Fonseka had vehemently opposed any move to field former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga or UNP Leadership Council Chairman Karu Jayasuriya as the common candidate of the opposition.

Tiran Alles, who is a national list Parliamentarian of the Democratic National Alliance, played a key role to get the former Army Commander released from jail before the end of his jail term. However, a few months after his release, Alles fell out with Fonseka and resigned from his positions in the party.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party led by Sarath Fonseka is divided on its stance on the next Presidential Election with a section of the party expressing its support to President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

A delegation of Sarath Fonseka’s Democratic Party including the General Secretary of Democratic Bikkhu Organization and three Provincial Council Members met President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday and offered their support to the president in the upcoming Presidential Election.

The delegation included Democratic Bikkhu Organization officials including advisors Madiwela Seevali Thera, Kahawatte Gnanasiha Thera, Ellawala Vajiravansha Thera, Organizer Waga Wimalaratne Thera, Deputy Chairman Wilgamuwe Dhammalankara Thera, Propaganda Secretary Divurumwela Vineetha Thera and General Secretary Biyagama Suseela Thera. The three PC Members who attended the meeting were Western PC Member H.K. Ashoka Dayaratne, Southern PC Member Padmasiri de Silva and North Western PC Member R.M.M. Ratnayake.

 

During the meeting with the President, the breakaway faction strongly criticized the leadership skills of party leader Fonseka.