MS appoints committee with MR supporters

29 June 2015 02:40 am - 15 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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President Maithripala Sirisena has appointed a committee headed by former higher education minister S.B. Dissanayake to conduct talks with the group of SLFP and UPFA members who are backing former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, with a view to mending fences with them, party sources said yesterday.

The president dissolved parliament last Friday and announced a general election. In the proclamation, he fixed August 17 as polling day.

The UPFA is ridden with crises, with a group pressing for the nomination of Mahinda Rajapaksa as the prime ministerial candidate. This group is adamant that Mr. Rajapaksa should get nomination to contest the election under the UPFA’s betel leaf symbol. It also has ready some fallback options in the event Mr. Rajapaksa is denied nomination.

Against the backdrop of these developments, the president has appointed this committee, comprising Mr. Dissanayake and Ministers Rajitha Senaratne, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardane and Sarath Amunugama.

Asked for comment, Mr. Dissanayake told Daily Mirror that the committee was not solely for the purpose holding talks with the faction supporting Mr. Rajapaksa.

“We will speak with those who are with us and those who have have left us for the moment. We have to unite all possible factions to win this election,” he said.

Meanwhile, a former minister who backed Mr. Rajapaksa, said it was yet uncertain whether the two factions could be united ahead of the election.

“We have back up plans to use in such an event,” he said.(Kelum Bandara)

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Comments - 15

Amila Monday, 29 June 2015 09:47 AM

Tell them to investigate these Allegations Against Rajapaksa
(1) Tsunami Aid Fraud: Rs. 83 Million
(2) The missing Rs. 26 Billion from the Colombo Katunayake Expressway.
(3) Rs. 700 Billion withdrawn from the national economy
(4)Cost of Rs. 195Billion ($1.5 Billion) Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port an investment with little to no profit. After completion in 2010, the landmark project had only received six ships in 2011 and 18 ships in 2012.
(5) Mattala Rajapaksa airport’s Operational loss of Rs. 2750 million and the Chinese loan of 27.1 Billion ($209m) used to build it. Mattala Rajapaksa International airport. Built with the help of a $209m Chinese loan, the airport incurred an operational loss of Rs 2,750m during last year alone.
(6) Inviting Rs.182 Billion ($1.4bn) of blacklisted Chinese investment into the country The $1.4bn Colombo Port City project also came under heavy criticism with regard to alleged financial misappropriations in the deal.
(7) The embezzled foreign reser

Yan Monday, 29 June 2015 09:48 AM

Ayyo salli.. SB ta aappu job eka balannako....

Anju Monday, 29 June 2015 10:18 AM

Why are you not talking about the recent fraud of central bank bonds?

hari Monday, 29 June 2015 10:30 AM

Guess My3 has lost the plot! Wrongs never makes a right!

upali Monday, 29 June 2015 10:49 AM

Why committees MR does not care this. He will go solo and capture premiership.

Gamini Monday, 29 June 2015 12:16 PM

The most suitable person to be the prime minister is Gotabhaya

Prometheus Monday, 29 June 2015 01:21 PM

This split in the UPFA is good news for the UNP.

pissu Monday, 29 June 2015 02:05 PM

From ur list 0% is proven? Wonder why that is.

Waco Monday, 29 June 2015 02:27 PM

Gotabaya must resume his previous position as the Defence Secretary.

BuffaloaCitizen Monday, 29 June 2015 02:42 PM

At the same time, we also must include "heil hitler" in our national anthem.

Michael Pereira Monday, 29 June 2015 02:50 PM

MS had made a joke of the presidency. Appointing the likes of Lakshman Yapa is a big joke.

Riz Monday, 29 June 2015 04:36 PM

good joke

C.K.Lankaputhra Monday, 29 June 2015 10:09 PM

Only one against seven counts.

AJJAA Tuesday, 30 June 2015 12:59 PM

I too have a great regard to Mr.Gotabaya..his vision is still to be seen when you walk around Colombo and suburb and no one has that sense of mind and talent.The President must get the maximum use of him no matter he is a Rajapaksha.No wonder he was offered a position by Singapore Government.

kanga Thursday, 02 July 2015 11:46 AM

White vans instead of CTB

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MS appoints committee with MR supporters

Comments - 15

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