SLFP MPs on board a sinking ship: MR

If the government cannot govern effectively even with the support of a group of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MPs, these SLFP MPs should ask themselves why they are still on board the sinking ship, former President MP Mahinda Rajapaksa said today.

He invited all SLFPers who are against turning the party into a tail of the United National Party (UNP) to attend the anti-government May Day rally at Galle Face, and send a strong message to the ‘dysfunctional’ and ‘repressive’ government.

Issuing a statement in the wake of the removal of SLFP electoral organisers of the calibre of Janaka Bandara Tennakoon and Lohan Ratwatte, Mr. Rajapaksa said sacking SLFP organisers would strengthen the UNP, not the SLFP.

“Sacking SLFP electoral organisers who have refused to prop up the UNP government while retaining MPs who do so won’t strengthen the SLFP but ensure the victory of the UNP. I invite all SLFP MPs and all those that are against the anti-national actions of this government to our May Day rally at Galle Face,” he said.

Mr. Rajapaksa reiterated the fact that the party leader was to blame for the split in the SLFP.

He said nothing could prevent the government, which is being kept in office under the patronage of the SLFP leader, from declining in popularity with each passing day.

“However the indefinite postponement of the local government elections shows that the government does have a realistic assessment of their popularity at this point in time,” he said.

Mr. Rajapaksa said he would give leadership to the opposition forces and work to defeat this government in accordance with the mandate he received in 2015.