• The verbal battle broke out when former President Maithripala Sirisena accused the SLFPers who are currently holding ministerial portfolios and the police of engaging in contempt of court

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  
Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) factions were engaged in a verbal battle in Parliament yesterday with members of both factions blaming each other for destroying the party.  The verbal battle broke out when former President Maithripala Sirisena accused the SLFPers who are currently holding ministerial portfolios and the police of engaging in contempt of court.   

“Those SLEEPers who are ministers prevented MP Dayasiri Jayasekera from entering into party headquarters at Darley Road. They got the police to prevent Mr. Jaysekara from entering the headquarters. This is contempt of court,” MP. Sirisena said.  
“Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has said I will end up either in Angoda or at Welikada. I am aware that there is a group who wants to send me to jail,” he added.  
“I have never said Maithri will end up at Angoda or at Welikada. We did not get the police to prevent Dayasiri from entering the SLFP headquarters,” Amarawera shot back.  
“You want to grab SLFP towards certain candidates as the presidential election draws near,” MP Sirisena said.  
“We can also come out with thefts of certain people who pretend to be saints ,” Amarawera shot back.