Soyza hits out at Basil's party

The break away group of the SLFP, ‘the joint opposition’ and the new party reported to be formed by former Minister Basil Rajapaksa are doomed for disaster as the SLFP's history has proved in numerous occasions that not a single politician or group had succeeded after betraying the party, Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Wijith Vijayamuni Soyza said yesterday.

He said with the aim of holding the local government polls in the first quarter of 2017, the SLFP would fro call applications with immediate effect and start interviews on July 19, Minister Vijayamuni Soyza said.

Minister Silva added that President Maithripala Sirisena had already announced that all qualified SLFP applicants would get nominations to contest the poll.

“This is going to be a ‘Litmus Test’ for those who are pulling the leg of the SLFP and President Sirisena. They must decide whether to perish with those who are dreaming of forming a new party or a new government or find success and progress with the SLFP led by President Sirisena” Minister Soyza said.

Addressing the media at the weekly news briefing at the SLFP head office, Minister Silva said the SLFP Central Committee has also decided to hold the 65th Anniversary of the party on September 11 on a grand scale and a ten member organizing committee chaired by Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Sirisipala De Silva has been appointed.

The best example is the ‘Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya’ formed by popular actor Vijaya Kumaratunga after leaving the SLFP. He formed the ‘Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya’ when he was in the peak of popularity and was a great crowd puller where ever he went. But he could not win a single election and enter Parliament. Even former President Chandrika Kumaratunga tasted victory at Provincial Councils, Parliamentary and Presidential polls after coming back to the SLFP,” he said.

Minister Silva responding to a journalist, said the downfall of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was a making of his family members and Basil Rajapaksa in particular who deserted the party after the Parliamentary polls defeat in August.

“The so called joint opposition or those who abandoned the party do not have a future and they are doomed as all those who betrayed the party in the past. Therefore, it is the responsibility of all SLFPers who truly love the party to extend their support to party leader President Sirisena to take the party to victory at the local government polls and then after to the Presidential and Parliamentary elections,” he stressed.

The interviews to select SLFP candidates for the local government polls will begin from July 19 from the Kandy District and conclude on November 11 from Colombo and Gampaha.

A three member committee led by Ministers Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, S.B.Dissanayake, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Susil Premajayantha, Wijith Vijayamuni Soyza, Fizer Musthapha and Chandima Weerakkodi has been appointed to conduct interviews for candidates of the 25 districts.

A four member committee has been appointed by the CC of the SLFP headed by Minister A.H.M.Fowzy for the 8 districts in the North-East.

Another 16 committees chaired by senior cabinet Ministers have also been appointed to re-organize the part from the grass roots level and covering agriculture, banking, trade union, public service and the private sector. (Sandun A Jayasekera)