Five SLFP Parliamentarians had been removed from the Central Committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party with immediate effect, party sources said.

Accordingly, former ministers Bandula Gunawardane, S.M.Chandrasena, T.B.Ekanayake, Rohitha Abeygunawardane and Salinda Dissanayake were removed by party chairman Maithripala Sirisena.

The letters informing their removal had been received today. However, these MPs said that there were no reasons given for their removal.

“I received the letter saying that the Central Committee of the SLFP, which met recently, has decided to remove me from the Central Committee, but no reason was given,” MP Gunawardane told the Daily Mirror Online.

MP Dissanayake speaking to the Daily Mirror Online said that no explanation had been given as to why he was removed from the Central Committee and added that he was shocked at the decision as he was engaged in politics representing the SLFP for over 40 years.

He is among the SLFP MPs who are backing the call for former President Rajapaksa to be made the PM candidate of the UPFA.