Basil Steps Down: Now Maithri Is The Master Of MR's Political Fate

From Asian Mirror

Battle being fought today at Darley Road may ultimately decide the future of Ex "King"

With Basil Rajapaksa resigning from the National Organizer post of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s ‘political future’ now lies in the hands of President Maithripala Sirisena.

If President Sirisena, in his capacity as the Chairman of the party, introduces a new clause to the party constitution preventing SLFP patrons from contesting elections, it will shatter the hopes of Rajapaksa who is now trying to make inroads into the country’s Parliament.

When agreeing to hand over the chairmanship of the party to the new President, Rajapaksa had stated that he wanted to contest the forthcoming Parliamentary Election. However, Rajapaksa can only contest the Parliamentary Election with the consent of President Sirisena who now holds the top post of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. With Basil Rajapaksa resigning from the National Organizer position, the former President has lost clout in the main decision making bodies of the party.

Internal sources of the party told Asian Mirror that President Sirisena now has the backing of the majority of Executive Committee and Central Committee members of the party. "Former President Rajapaksa," they said, "had to nod for this arrangement as the party was on the verge of a major split. "

A sizable proportion of Executive Committee members of the party are now making attempts to name Nimal Siripala de Silva as the Leader of the Opposition on April 19. That will pave the way for de Silva to become the Prime Ministerial Candidate of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Or UPFA) at the next general election.

The Central Committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party is likely to meet this evening at the party headquarters to endorse Sirisena’s appointment as the new Chairman of the party.

At the same time, the anti-corruptions activists of the national unity government have already stated that the SLFP’s internal transfer of power will not make any impact on the ongoing investigations into bribery and corruption over the past 10 years. Speaking to Asian Mirror this morning, they said stern action would be taken against those who were responsible for bribery and corruption during the period between 2005 and 2015.

“Even the President cannot influence this process,” a spokesperson of the anti-corruption initiative, speaking to Asian Mirror, said.