TALKS WILL CONTINUE EVEN AFTER NOMINATION OF SLPP CANDIDATE
The SLFP would not discontinue ongoing talks with the SLPP, aimed at forming an alliance to powerfully confront the UNP at the Presidential poll, even after the SLPP nominated its candidate next Sunday, UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera said.
But the SLFP has no intention to participate in the SLPP convention, he added.
“If the SLFP is to come to an agreement with the SLPP to create this alliance, we need to know its policies if and when the candidate of the alliance emerged victorious at the polls.the next round of talks between the two parties would focus on this issue. Otherwise, the SLFP does not want to do anything to harm the identity, trust and loyalty of our party supporters,” Mr. Amaraweera said.
Addressing the weekly news briefing at the party office yesterday, former Minister Mr. Amaraweera said any political party has the right to nominate its Presidential candidate and as such nominating the SLPP’S candidate by opposition and party leader Mahinda Rajapaksa would not hamper the talks.
“Our final objective is to field a candidate mutually agreed upon by the two main parties of the proposed alliance. However, to ensure his victory, all progressive and left aligned forces must come to an agreement to form this alliance against the UNP. We don’t join the alliance with empty hands,” he stressed.
The SLFP’S annual convention will be held on September 3rd at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium with a new vigour.
Mr. amaraweera said it is not likely that another round of talks would take place between President Sirisena and Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa before the 11th, adding that the talks between the two leaders on Monday mainly focused on the possibility of forming the alliance led by the SLFP and SLPP. .
Colombo East SLFP organiser Pradeep Jayewardene (a grandson of President J.R. Jayawardene) said that he joined the SLFP because that party would never sell the country or its assets.
“Ranil Wickremesinghe’s policies and ideology are totally against the policies and ideology of the founding fathers and late leaders of the UNP. Open economic policies do not mean selling state assets or playing to the tune of foreign powers. Leaders of the SLFP like Chandrika Kumaratunga, Mahinda Rajapaksa or President Maithripala Sirisena have not done anything detrimental to the national security and identity of the country,” Mr. Jayewardene said.