President Maithripala Sirisena is to be bestowed with the highest post in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) when its Central Committee meets tomorrow (January 16).
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has already given his blessings to President Maithripala Sirisena to be the new head of the SLFP following a meeting between the two men at the Speaker's official residence in Colombo on Wednesday.
The meeting was organized by the head of the Gangaramaya temple the Ven. Galaboda Gnaniswara Thera.
Sources said that at the meeting Rajapaksa had declared that he had no intension to indulge in active politics anymore. Both are expected to be present at tomorrow's (January 16) meeting where it is speculated Rajapaksa will officially make known his future plans according to a senior SLFP member who spoke to the BBC's Sandeshaya Sinhala Service.
According to political strategists, one of the reasons why Rajapaksa had decided to relinquish the leadership of the SLFP could be because many party members in Parliament had pledged their support to Maithripala Sirisena.
The Daily Mirror newspaper had reported that former minister Wimal Weerawansa and Western Provincial Council member Udaya Gammanpila requested Rajapaksa not to give up the leadership of the SLFP.
Meanwhile in another development President Maithripala Sirisena has told SLFP stalwarts that former party ministers who have been embroiled in fraud and corruption charges will not be given nominations to contest the upcoming General Election.
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