Rift in SLFP over “double standards”

By Sandun A Jayasekera

A senior party stalwart of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) yesterday expressed his utmost displeasure, disappointment and opposition to what he called the double standard of the party leadership applied to two groups of SLFP members who obtained ministerial posts defying the party’s position.   

He told Daily Mirror on condition of anonymity for obvious reasons that the recent cross-over of four members of the SLFP to the government ranks to take up ministerial positions has split the party right in the middle and created a huge division among the party’s top brass.  

The SLFP’s position was that no member accepts cabinet or state ministry posts without the sanction of the party leadership and the approval of the Central Committee (CC). If they did so ignoring the party discipline, strict disciplinary action were to be taken against them. We kept warning members against any possible violation of the party discipline. That is why Kurunegala District Parliamentarian Shantha Bandara and national list member Dr.Suren Raghavan were expelled from the party after they were appointed as state ministers. The SLFP said the party was ready to support the government for all good and people friendly actions without joining the government. But sadly and incomprehensively no action has been taken against the two SLFP seniors by the party leadership despite their appointment as cabinet ministers without the consent of the party leadership and approval of the CC, the top SLFP parliamentarian told Daily Mirror.  

“An SLFP delegation on May 13th had a discussion with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. At that meeting the SLFP proposed to the President to appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe after assuming duties invited the SLFP for a discussion on ministerial posts. At that meeting, attended by SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya and Sarathi Dushmantha, we categorically stated that ministerial posts would be accepted only on the approval of the party leadership and the CC.