From SL Mirror
‘Rajapaksa not preparing nominations’
Minister Rajitha Senaratne says neither Mahinda Rajapaksa nor his supporters has been entrusted with the task of preparing the SLFP’s nomination list for the upcoming general election.
He says rumours are being spread by a certain group who has misunderstood a request by the president to submit a list of nominations.
It is the president who will take the final decision with regard to the SLFP’s nominations, he said.
However, talks are underway unofficially to form an alliance of parties and forces that got together to elect Maithripala Sirisena as the president.
The UNP, at its working committee meeting recently, decided to contest under the elephant symbol.
Mahinda invites JHU
A leading supporter of Mahinda Rajapaksa has asked the JHU to forget enmities of the past and join with the UPFA as the SLFP has decided to work as a single entity at the general election.
When contacted, JHU spokesman Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe confirmed receiving such an invitation, but said his party was not in agreement to that proposal.
He stressed the importance of all parties who had got together to make Maithripala Sirisena the president to unite against the corrupt Rajapaksas who want to ride to power on the back of communalism.
The reason for this situation is that president Sirisena has reached an agreement with Rajapaksa and handed over the task of preparing the nomination lists to the Rajapaksa loyalists.
Severely inconvenienced by this, certain supporters of president Sirisena are visiting Rajapaksa’s home in Mirihana and trying to obtain nominations.
Minister with giant’s name not contesting
A good governance regime minister, whose first name is that of a giant of ancient kings, is not going to contest at the general election, reports say.
Instead, he is preparing to field his provincial councillor son.
In the past six months, the duo had made 40 foreign trips, and is hoping to make nine more before the election.
Both father and son had wasted more than Rs. 10 million of public money on these tours.
Maithri’s close ones to contest on UNP ticket
Several leading politicians close to president Maithripala Sirisena are holding talks to contest the general election on the UNP ticket, says Sirikotha sources.
These politicians are worried by the SLFP chairman’s decision to unite with Mahinda Rajapaksa loyalists to contest the polls.
According to SLFP sources, supporters of Rajapaksa have taken over the task of preparing the nomination lists of the party.
This has left the SLFP ministers and local government politicians such as Hirunika Premachandra in a quandary.
Meanwhile, the president summoned one of his advisors last Thursday and told him to instruct Anura Priyadarshana Yapa to be fair by Rajitha Senaratne, Champika Ranawaka and other supporters of his when preparing the nomination lists.
Basil is not contesting; on special duty
Former SLFP national organizer Basil Rajapaksa says he will neither contest the upcoming general election nor get appointed to parliament on the national list.
He told Sri Lanka Mirror, however, that he would support Mahinda Rajapaksa in his campaign.
Basil said he was not involved in the preparation of nominations of the SLFP, but said he was making contributions to ensure that the process would not divide the party.
According to him, both Maithripala Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapaksa want to prevent a division of the party.
But, both sides are opposing giving nominations to certain persons, he said, adding that he was involved in getting such issues sorted out.
Basil said either Wimal Weerawansa or Udaya Gammanpila would be given nominations to contest on the UPFA ticket.
The SLFP should correct past mistakes and go forward without allowing for a division, he added.
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