• PM presses ahead with efforts for SLPP to reverse decision and rally behind President  
• Previous attempts failed as Basil, Namal remained adamant  

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, as the leader of Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP), still continues with his political efforts to unite Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) with President Ranil Wickremesinghe in view of the Presidential Elections, a source familiar with the two leaders said yesterday.   

The Prime Minister who is close to both the President as his schoolmate and SLPP leader Mahinda Rajapaksa made efforts to unite all the parties aligned with the government to form a common platform in support of the President at the elections, but it failed because SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa and National Organizer Namal Rajapaksa were adamant that a separate candidate should be fielded under the party’s Lotus symbol. In a split decision, the SLPP Central Committee decided to nominate a candidate of its choice instead of backing the President.   

According to the source, the Prime Minister coordinated meetings between the President and Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa to explore the possibility of an electoral alliance.   

The source said the Prime Minister still keeps trying his best to unite them.   

Meanwhile, the MEP has convened a meeting of its Central Committee today at its headquarters in Maharagama to take a formal stand on the Presidential Election. The MEP is likely to decide in favour of the President. The Prime Minister is also expected to play a key role in the President’s election campaign.   

The MEP is a long-standing ally of the SLPP. Mr. Gunawardena even led the Joint Opposition during the time of the Yahalapana government as the forerunner to the formation of SLPP ahead of the local authorities’ election in 2018.   

The other SLPP allies such as the National Congress and Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulihal (TMVP) have already pledged support to the President.