Opposition Parliamentarian and former President Maithripala Sirisena whose chairpersonship of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has been suspended by way of a Court order, claimed that Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Minister, President’s Counsel Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe will be SLFP’s Presidential candidate in the upcoming election.
Joining the commemoration ceremony of the late T.B. Ilangaratne, Sirisena further claimed that Dr. Rajapakshe has the support of the majority of the Party members. “I have previously served as the President and pledged not to contest for the Presidency again. Dr. Rajapakshe will run in the upcoming Presidential Election, and we will offer him our full support. We took a Minister (Dr. Rajapakshe) from the ruling Party (Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna), who is now aligned with us (the SLFP). He no longer desires the Ministerial position,” Sirisena added.
A Court order has also suspended Dr. Rajapakshe’s recent ‘appointment’ by the Sirisena-led faction of the SLFP as the SLFP’s Acting Chairperson.