Jathika Hela Urumaya Chairman Athuraliye Rathana Thera said that the United National Party does not want to punish any wrongdoers loyal to the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa because the UNP wants to see the division of SLFP.

Speaking at the ‘Mahajana Sevaya Pinisayi’ TV show on Swarnawahini last evening, he said that United National Party can win the next election only if SLFP breaks up. By not taking measures against those closer to Mahinda Rajapaksa, the UNP has allowed them to remain strong, Rathana Thera added.

The SLFP members should take a wise decision at this juncture and remain with President Maithripala Sirisena’s leadership so that the SLFP is not divided, Rathana Thera said. Any break-up of a leading political party in the country has been harmful because it strengthens the other side too much, he added. Rathana Thera recalled how SLFP was divided to three fragments allowing the UNP to rule the country with no effective opposition in the 1980s. Similarly, divisions within UNP helped Mahinda Rajapaksa, and made him a bad ruler too, Rathana Thera further stated.

The JHU Chairman also said that those who are leading this pro-Rajapaksa group are not SLFP members. Udaya Gammanpila and Wimal Weerawansa cannot join either the UNP or the SLFP due to their political positions which has led them into this movement, Rathana Thera added.