Leader of Janasetha Peramuna Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera offered the leadership of his party to former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Speaking at a press conference today he said that Rajapaksa will not have to launch a new party if he wanted to return to politics.

Seelarathana Thera said that he was ready to sacrifice the leadership of the party on behalf of the former president.

Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera contested presidential elections in 2010 and 2015. In 2010, he withdrew his candidacy days before the election endorsing former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. He received 2770 votes. In 2015 Presidential Election, he received 3750 votes.