SLFP to take stern disciplinary action on May Day rally attendance

By Chamodi Gunawardana

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) yesterday affirmed that disciplinary action would be taken against all MPs, provincial councillors and organisers of the party who skip the SLFP May Day celebration and attend the Joint Opposition’s May Day rally in Kirulapone. 

SLFP General Secretary Minister Duminda Dissanayake said that the party’s Central Committee (CC) would decide as to what disciplinary action should be taken against the violators of the party directives and regulations regardless of the fact that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was also among them.

“The CC has directed all party members including organisers, provincial councillors, council members as well as all other portfolio holders to attend the SLFP May Day rally in Galle. We believe the participation at the rally is a responsibility of all members,” he said.

Dissanayake said SLFP grassroot level members have questioned them as to why the CC was delaying take disciplinary action against MPs who attended the Hyde Park rally. “We won’t allow such complains to arise this time,” he added. 

Commenting on sending invitations to attend the rally, Dissanayake said that it was not the practice of the SLFP to issues special invitations for anyone except for party district organisers. 

He added that he had already sent letters to all organisers regarding the May Day rally with directions to arrange transportation for party activists. 

Condemning Rajapaksa’s remarks over his participation at the Joint Opposition’s rally, Dissanayake alleged Rajapaksa has devalued his own reputation by making such statements while being a senior SLFPer.

Meanwhile, Dissanayake revealed the SLFP expects do further shake up the party’s organiser positions through a special subcommittee chaired by former Prime Minster D. M. Jayaratne.

The committee will be comprised of senior SLFPers, W.D.J. Seneviratne, A.H.M. Fauzi, Susil Premajayantha, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, S.B. Dissanayake, Dr. Sarath Amunugama and Jagath Pushpakumara.

“We have received hundreds of application for the party’s organiser positions and we have summoned all of them to party headquarters on 26 April for interviews,” he said.

Stressing the importance of re-organising the party, Dissanayake said the SLFP should regret its past moves to offer nominations for some provincial councillors who were engaged in crimes and frauds. 

“We should be ashamed about keeping accusers inside the party. From now on, we will resist that kind of practice,” he asserted.