SLFP purge continues: Welgama ousted from UPFA ExCo

President Maithripala Sirisena continued his purge of Rajapaksa loyalists in positions of authority in his party yesterday, sacking former Transport Minister and Kalutara District MP elect Kumara Welgama from the UPFA Executive Committee.

Welgama said he had received letters from the acting General Secretaries of the SLFP and the UPFA informing him of his ouster.

The Executive Committee is the main decision-making body of the UPFA, the alliance led by the SLFP, and comprises 72 members from constituent parties. As the largest party in the alliance, the SLFP has the most number of representatives in the UPFA Executive Committee.

Welgama said he had received a letter from Duminda Dissanayake informing him of his ouster from the SLFP Central Committee. He had also received a letter from acting General Secretary of the UFPA Wishwa Warnapala informing him that he had been removed as a member of the UPFA ExCo on a request from Dissanayake.

On 17 August, Dissanayake sent a letter to the Commissioner of Elections informing him of the removal of 13 central committee members and naming the new members appointed by Party Chairman President Sirisena. 

Pavithra Wanniarachchi and S.M. Chandrasena have also been ousted from the UPFA ExCo, sources said.