Duminda backs Sirisena for second term

• Proposal to nominate President Sirisena as next SLFP candidate receives unanimous approval in A’pura

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Parliamentarian Duminda Dissanayake yesterday proposed President Maithripala Sirisena’s name as the party’s next Presidential Candidate at the inaugural party restructuring convention held in Anuradhapura.

The proposal brought forth by UPFA Parliamentarian Duminda Dissanayake during the convention was unanimously approved by the Anuradhapura Bala Mandala members.

Several senior SLFP members, including Nimal Siripala Silva and Party General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara, expressed their frustrations of the current setup in the party and lack of commitment by some of its members at the meeting held under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena.

“We are trying to rebuild the party and strengthen it by recalling all those members who have been stranded. We have to now swim upstream, but it doesn’t seem to be happening yet,” Silva said, speaking to party organisers.

Indicating a possible rift between the new found alliance between Sri Lanka Podu Jana Peramuna (SLPP) and SLFP, the party’s General Secretary Jayasekara also aired his frustrations saying that there was no room for those who are in two camps.

“We don’t engage in politics with one foot here and another there. If you are here, then stay. We will stand with those who remain and we will go forward,” Jayasekara said.

Dissanayake, too, expressed dissatisfaction over public statements made by some United People’s Freedom Alliance members who have aligned themselves with SLPP. In proposing Sirisena’s name as the next candidate, Dissanayake noted that there was no positive acceptance from some members in backing Sirisena, raising concerns regarding any alliance between the two factions.

“When we confidently say that our candidate is the Chairman of our party President Maithripala Sirisena, they don’t seem to agree. They say they will decide at the last minute. I wonder if they are really with us,” he said, addressing the crowd.