MR faction seeks nominations for remanded members

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The pro-Mahinda Rajapaksa faction in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party is seeking nomination even for its members currently in custody, a spokesman said yesterday.

Former minister T.B. Ekanayake said their group would take the position that none of the members in custody had been proven guilty and therefore nominations should be given to them. He said most of the SLFP members in custody were also electoral organisers and would be able to attract votes for the party.

Mr. Ekanayake said their request would be put forward to President Maithripala Sirisena, who is also the SLFP leader.

The move came after President Sirisena said the SLFP nomination board would start screening candidates within the next two weeks for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Among SLFP members in custody are Basil Rajapaksa, Johnston Fernando, Premalal Jayasekara and Sajin Vass Gunawardena.

UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha said the nomination board would discuss this issue soon.

(Sunday Times)