SLFP Holds District-level Meetings To Avert Imminent Split

January 20, 2016

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party has organised district-level meetings across the country where Local Government members will pledge their support to the party. 

"At the meetings, they will express their support to the party and its leadership. At the same time, they will also stress the need for party unity," a senior Parliamentarian of the party said. The meetings have been initiated by top-rung officials of the party supporting President Maithripala Sirisena. 

The first two meetings will be held today in Kandy and Gampaha, he added. 

Informed party sources said the move came due to concerns that the group supporting former President Mahinda Rajapaksa would form a separate political party to contest at the forthcoming Local Government election. 

However, speaking to Asian Mirror, a senior spokesman from the pro-Rajapaksa camp said the majority of SLFP Local Government members  have already joined the political camp of the former President. 

He said they would not attend meetings organised by the SLFP if the party failed to give leadership responsibilities to the former President. 

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