Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Ajith P Perera said former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's inclusion in the SLFP candidates' list would turn the party into  pile of garbage.

 

"In the absence of Rajapaksa, the SLFP could have repositioned it as a new party that would be a threat to the UNP in the long run. Now, we will have to fight with a feudal party whose leaders display strange devices in public to charm the people.  The SLFP lost a valuable opportunity to revitalize the party," Perera said in a Facebook post on Saturday night.

 

He also added that Rajapaksa's return would remind the people of the dark period when a group of tribal and uncivilized leaders were in power. "They will not have anything to offer to the people of this country except the same corrupt practices," Perera said.

 

With this new development, he added, people would recognize the UNP as a modern and civilized party and the SLFP will be branded as a party represented by hooligans.

 

However, the SLFP Central Committee is yet to make a decision on allowing Rajapaksa to contest the forthcoming General Election.