Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa put forward two pre-conditions for the forthcoming discussion with President Maithripala Sirisena, UPFA MP Gamini Lokuge told local media.

Lokuge stated that the two conditions were not forming a national government and to form a government with SLFP and other parties of the UPFA.

If Sirisena does not agree to these conditions, the Rajapaksa faction will contest the election as a separate group, Lokuge also said. However, if Sirisena agrees to the conditions, Rajapaksa will fully support the SLFP election campaign in the forthcoming general election.

Meanwhile, if Sirisena accepts the conditions, it will scuttle the proposal for a national government put forward by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The Prime Minister has repeatedly said that he wants the whole parliament to become one government after the election.