Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday spoke dismissively on the invitation by Sri Lanka Freedom Party to participate in its May Day rally.

Sri Lanka Freedom Party General Secretary Anura Priyadarshana Yapa visited Abhayarama Temple in Narahenpita to hand over the invitation to Rajapaksa.

The former president was at a meeting with Provincial Councilors and Local Government Body members of the SLFP in Southern Province. Rajapaksa asked Yapa to wait until the meeting was over. Yapa spent some time in Abhayaramaya, talking to SLFP representatives.

The Southern Province SLFP representatives urged Yapa that SLFP should appoint Rajapaksa as the Prime Ministerial candidate in a forthcoming general election. They threatened to boycott the May Day rally if this demand is not fulfilled.

Rajapaksa was dismissive of the invitation when he spoke to the media after the meeting. “I was given a letter, but I still did not look at it” he said.