Not even SLFP can stop Rajapaksa becoming PM – NFF

Wimal Weerawansa

The National Freedom Front (NFF) yesterday said the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) cannot halt its strategy, of fielding former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Ministerial candidate, at the General Election, to defeat the United National Party (UNP).

The NFF led by Wimal Weerawansa along with the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) led by Dinesh Gunawardene, the Democratic Left Front (DLF) led by Vasudeva Nanayakkara and the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) led by Udaya Gammanpila, all parties affiliated to the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) will be holding their first rally in Nugegoda on Wednesday (18), to potentially bring in Rajapaksa as their Prime Ministerial candidate at the upcoming Parliamentary Election.

The NFF added that they had invited all UPFA members for the event. Elsewhere, SLFP General Secretary, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said the SLFP Executive Committee had decided to refrain from attending the meeting.

NFF Politburo Member, Piyasiri said the grassroots level membership of the SLFP was behind the move spearheaded by the NFF, MEP, DLF and the PHU.
“We are all parties of the UPFA. We do not know whether Rajapaksa has said that he would not leave the SLFP. Yapa is stating this in order to protect his position as President Maithripala Sirisena is the Leader of the SLFP. General Secretary of the UPFA, Susil Premajayantha recently assured the media that they would back a return by Rajapaksa,” he observed.

(Ceylon Today)