From SL Mirror
President Maithripala Sirisena says he will tell the country on July 13 his positon with regard to the UPFA’s giving nominations to his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa and his loyalists to contest the general election.
He said so during a meeting with civil society representatives at the presidential secretariat on Wednesday night.
Present at the discussion were Ven. Dambara Amila Thera, Gamini Viyangoda, Prof. Sarath Wijesuriya, Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri, Saman Ratnapriya, Joseph Stalin, Dharmasiri Bandaranayake and Ravi Jayawardena, said presidential secretariat sources.
Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera has declined an invitation to attend.
President Sirisena has told the participants that he was very much dismayed by the manner the UPFA has chosen its candidates.
The general secretary of the UPFA was responsible, he said, adding that he had nothing to do with the nominations.
Puravesi Balaya convener Gamini Viyangoda said he and others in his group have been deceived and betrayed, noting the promise at the presidential election that the corrupt would not be given nominations.
As the leader of the UPFA, the president had managed to prevent nominations being given to four ex-MPs only, while all the others are planning to contest.
This was a fatal blow for all those who had contributed towards the January 08 people’s revolution, including the president, he noted.
President Sirisena assured that he would not get into the same platform with Mahinda Rajapaksa during campaigning.
The participants also strongly objected to the reported secret discussion between the president and his predecessor, with Viyangoda noting that there was nothing to be discussed in the secret and that the people should know everything.
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