Several political parties have expressed their willingness to join the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) to make the UPFA May Day rally a success, the President’s Media Division said.

Leaders of more than 10 political parties, including Douglas Devananda from the Eelam People’s Democratic Party, Arumugam Thondaman from the Ceylon Workers Congress and Prabha Ganesan from the Democratic People’s Congress had a discussion with President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday, regarding the May Day rally.

J. M. Vazeer, representing the Muslim National Congress which is under the leadership of A. L. M. Athaulla, Ariyawansa Dissanayake from Democratic United National Front, Sarath Manamendra from Nava Sihala Urumaya, A. S. P. Liyanage and Kamal Nishshanka from Liberal Party and P. H. S. Ajantha representing the Eksath Lanka Podujana Pakshaya also participated in this discussion.

The party representatives expressed their utmost willingness to work for the success of the May Day rally and for the future progress of the United People’s freedom Alliance.

Speaking at the discussion, Douglas Devananda said that the program of the new government has won the trust of the people in the north and assured that the party will have their support in future.

General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Duminda Dissanayake and the General Secretary of the United People’s Freedom Alliance Mahinda Amaraweera also participated in this discussion.

11 new SLFP district and electorate organisers appointed

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday handed over letters of appointment to 11 new electorate and district organisers of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) at the Presidential Secretariat.

Pradeep Jayewardene, grandson of former President J.R. Jayewardene, has been appointed SLFP Gampaha District Organiser. Former senior politician C.B. Ratnayake’s brother M.S.B. Ratnayake was appointed as SLFP Organiser for Nuwara Eliya electorate.

Provincial Councillor Kamal Indika is the new Organiser for Hiriyala electorate.

Other new appointees of the SLFP are Gamini de Silva and Buddhika Iddamalgoda (Colombo District), Manula Chamal Perera (Kalutara District), Piyal Dharshana Guruge (Galle District), Nalin Pushpakumara (Kegalle District), Thushara Tilakaratne (Kurunegala District), and former Bentota Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Gayan Krishan Sirimanna and former Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Amila Harshana Kariyawasam (Co-organisers of Bentara Elpitiya electorate).

Speaking to the newly-appointed organisers, President Sirisena said they should be totally committed to people-friendly and clean politics. The party organisers should understand their responsibilities towards the SLFP and shun corruption and malpractices, he said.

SLFP General Secretary Duminda Dissanayake and UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera were also present on this occasion.