18 August 2016 11:32 pm
He told the weekly news briefing at the party office that the SLFP Central Committee was of the view that the revamping of the party structure at grass roots level was extremely vital in view of the forthcoming local government polls. Hence those who have not stood with the party in the last one and half years, went against party guidelines and instructions and were highly indisciplined had to be replaced.
“You do not need much reasons to justify the expulsion of party organizers who have violated the party constitution. When a party organizer betrays the party, he automatically loses all his positions in the party. It is as simple as that,” Minister Dissanayaka stressed.
He said party leader, President Maithripala Sirisena remained for more than one and half years watching their behaviour closely even by getting flak from party loyalists for not taking action against those who double crossed the party and added however, they would not lose their party membership.
Minister Dissanayaka asked journalists whether not only Mahinda Rajapaksa but even if Chandrika Kumaratunga would have had the patience level as much as that of President Sirisena to take action against the black sheep of them party.
Commenting on the 65th SLFP convention scheduled to be held at ‘Maligapitiya’ in Kurunegala on September 4, Minister Dissanayaka said all SLFP members, former local government members. Provincial Council members will be invited for the biggest ever party convention and added former Presidents Rajapaksa and Kumaratunga had already been invited by a senior member of the party and Rajapaksa had accepted the invitation to attend.
“To promote party unity and mutual harmony, we have decided to provide seating facilities to the two former presidents on either sides of President Sirisena’s seat on the stage, Minister Dissanayaka said.
He said the main and immediate target of the SLFP was to win the local government polls and therefore the reorganization of the party, appointing young professionals, women, TU leaders, journalists and any one who has better qualifications as party organizers was vital and that is what the Central Committee was doing and added President Sirisena had already spoken to all district and electoral organizers.
Each and every district will be under two District leaders comprising a cabinet Minister from the district itself and another minister chosen from another district, he said. (Sandun A Jayasekera)
Pix by Lahiru Harshana