President moves to stabilize Polonnaruwa
Following Polonnaruwa District MP and SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to challenge President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the forthcoming presidential election, the latter yesterday addressed all elected UPFA representatives in the Polonnaruwa District.
President Rajapaksa received an assurance from UPFA representatives they would stand by the SLFP leader.
UPFA parliamentarians and Pradeshiya Sabha members representing the Polonnaruwa District as well as Polonnaruwa District members of the UPFA-run North Central Provincial Council were quoted as having told the President there was no one else who could match his leadership.
They called upon the country to rally around President.
The meeting was held at the Central Bank holiday bungalow near the Somawathie Temple.
The President said the Opposition with the help of a disgruntled group of SLFPers was planning to destabilise post-war Sri Lanka on the pretext of getting rid of him.
Among those present on the occasion were Minister C.B. Ratnayake, Deputy Minister Siripala Gamlath and Chandrasiri Sooriyaarachchi, MP Roshan Ranasinghe and Provincial Minister Punchibanda Ratnayake.
Responding to a query, SLFP sources alleged that the rebel group was making a determined bid to effect crossovers in Parliament as well as Provincial Councils and local government authorities. Some members of the UPFA-run Uva and Western Provincial Councils had been approached, they said.
The SLFP has been engaged in a special effort to thwart MP Sirisena’s attempts to win over UPFA representatives in his stronghold Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, sources said, adding that former North Central Province Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake’s son, Duminda Dissanayake was spearheading the effort there. President Rajapaksa stripped Duminda Dissanayake of deputy minister’s post last Friday after he joined Sirisena at a media briefing held at the New Town Hall.
Meanwhile, Sirisena met senior UNPers at the Opposition Leader’s Office immediately after the media briefing. Sources quoted Sirisena as having said that he would continue to call the UNP National leader, ‘Sir’ as he had been doing in the past even after becoming president because he always respected his teachers.
(Courtesy: The Island)
Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka and United States discuss Economic Support and Reforms April 19, 2024
- Israeli missile strikes Iran amid escalating Middle East tensions April 19, 2024
- President says he will build a Sri Lanka that the youth aspire to April 19, 2024
- NPP presents 7-point pledge on Easter Sunday Attack to Cardinal Ranjith April 18, 2024
- Dialog Axiata to acquire Bharti Airtel’s telecom operations in Sri Lanka April 18, 2024
Maithripala Sirisena is a dead horse. He has wrecked his political career by falling into the cunning plot spearheaded by CBK and RW.
They are nowhere near the man who was born in the southern jungles who obliterated the man who was born in the northern jungles.
Maithripala is already calling RW as “Sir”. CBK and RW will get him to destroy the Executive presidency and confine him to the rubbish bin.
Maithripala, it is not too late, HE Mahinda is a forgiving man with a heart of a Lion, get back to the SLFP promptly, all will be forgotten.