• SLFP to hold national convention on 2 Sept. 
• Presidential candidate likely to announced on same day
• Want UNP and SLPP to announce Presidential contenders first
• Amaraweera says not too late to abolish Executive Presidency, considers Private Members Bill
• Believes SLFP responsibility to go before SC to hold PC polls  

By Nuwan Senarathna

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) yesterday said they will very likely decide on their Presidential candidate at the party convention to be held on 2 September, insisting they prefer to wait until candidates from the United National Party (UNP) and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) are named first. 

MP Mahinda Amaraweera

The National Democratic Front (NDF) is scheduled to be formed on 5 August under the leadership of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, and the SLPP will hold their maiden party convention on 11 August to name their Presidential candidate.

Speaking to media at the SLFP Head Office, Parliamentarian and United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera said the SLFP will hold their party convention on 2 September at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, and most likely to announce their Presidential candidate at the event. 

“We expect to take several crucial decisions during the convention to decide the future of the party. All these decisions will be taken with the approval of party members. Therefore this will be a very productive convention, as we are going to follow a bottom-up approach to decide the plans of the party,” Amaraweera said.

He noted the convention will give a new message to the country on how to work according to democratic values, and to listen to ideas of the members to decide the future of the party. He said the party was not in a hurry to name their Presidential candidate, or make a call on how to contest upcoming elections. Meanwhile, SLFP National Organiser MP Duminda Dissanayake said they would observe activities of their rival political parties before making a final call on their Presidential candidate and plans.  “We are eagerly waiting to see what will happen on 5 August and 11 August before taking a final decision. This will enable us to take a more dynamic decision, which works better for us,” Dissanayake said.

Referring to the Executive Presidency, Amaraweera noted he would back the abolishment of the Executive Presidency, and in his view that can be done before the Presidential Election if all parties join together.

“This is the best chance to abolish the Executive Presidency. Some argue the Executive Presidency is essential for national security, and the war ended under the leadership of an Executive Presidency, but the conflict started after the Executive Presidency was introduced. Therefore I do not see any legitimate reason to think the Executive Presidency is essential for national security,” he argued.

Amaraweera noted if the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) does not present the 20th Amendment to abolish the Executive Presidency, he would present a Private Members’ Bill to abolish the Executive Presidency.

He noted that the SLFP had decided to seek the Supreme Court’s opinion on holding Provincial Council Elections before the Presidential Election. According to Amaraweera, that was decided to prevent any delays of Provincial Council polls.

“Only a few weeks ago, Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya announced the possibility of holding Provincial Council polls before the Presidential Election. Under these circumstances, if the President does not go before the Supreme Court and at least try to hold the Provincial Council Elections then the public will point the finger at us and say it was our fault the Provincial polls were delayed. We are planning to go before Court to avoid such accusations,” he added. 

Duminda wants Gota to be more transparent on US citizenship