Around 26 UPFA Parliamentarians, including many SLFP MPs took part in the pro-Mahinda Rajapaksa rally today urging that the former president should be made the Prime Ministerial candidate of the UPFA in an upcoming general election.

Apart from the Parliamentarians a number of Provincial Council Members and Local Government Authority Members also took part in the event.

The rallies are organized by Mahajana Eksath Peramuna leader Dinesh Gunawardena, National Freedom Front leader Wimal Weerawansa, Left Democratic Front leader Vasudeva Nanayakkara and Pivithuru Hela Urumaya leader Udaya Gammanpila. The PHU leader is a Western Provincial Council Member while the others are UPFA MPs.

The SLFP MPs took part in the rally defying an order by the party prohibiting them to attend rallies organized by other political parties without prior approval.

The UPFA leaders at the rally included (not in a particular order):
Dinesh Gunewardena, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Wimal Weerawansa, Udaya Gammanpila, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Bandula Gunewardena, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Dilum Amunugama, Lohan Ratwatte, Gamini Lokuge, Manusha Nanayakkara, Uditha Lokubandara, Vidura Wickremanayake, Roshan Ranasinghe, Geethanjana Gunawardena, Weerakumara Dissanayake, Shehan Semasinghe, Salinda Disanayake, TB Ekanayake, Kumara Welgama, Sriyani Wijewickrama, Prasanna Ranatunga, Ranjith de Soysa, Sunny Rohana Kodithuwakku, SM Chandrasena, SC Muthukumarana, YG Padmasiri, Chamika Buddhadasa, VK Indika, Janaka Bandara, Kamala Ranatunga