SLFP threatens disciplinary action against detractors

• Argues no member can go against decision of Central Committee to back GR

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) yesterday said disciplinary action will be taken against any members that disregard the party’s decision to back Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa. 

SLFP MP Mahinda Samarasinghe said that disciplinary action will be taken against any SLFP members that fail to work in line with SLFP’s Central Committee decisions.

Addressing the formation of the Organisation for the Protection of the SLFP, Samarasinghe said that letters about the launch of the organisation have been sent to various SLFP MPs, organisers, and supporters. “The intentions of the Organisation for the Protection of the SLFP is to reduce the votes Gotabaya Rajapaksa receives and instead direct them towards New Democratic Front (NDF) candidate Sajith Premadasa,” Samarasinghe said.

“A unanimous decision was made by the SLFP Central Committee to support the SLPP presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa. This decision was reached after numerous discussions among the Central Committee as well as direct discussions with presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa as well as former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Minister Basil Rajapaksa. We made this decision with President Maithripala Sirisena’s blessings,” Samarasinghe said.

Samarasinghe insisted it was the Central Committee that has the authority to make decisions regarding SLFP policy and all party MPs, organisers, and members must agree to Central Committee decisions, especially when they are made unanimously.

Failing to do so can result in disciplinary action being taken by the SLFP and the Central Committee, which will hold a meeting today to discuss the action to be taken against all those working directly or indirectly against the SLFP decision to support Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Election. 

Samarasinghe went onto say that the SLFP has already begun the process of protecting the SLFP and that as a party, they opted to safeguard their ideologies and party image by forming an alliance with 17 parties and working towards Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s victory at the 2019 Presidential Elections.