A clear division within the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) was made evident this afternoon when its MPs seperated into two groups of which one pledged support to new President Maithripala Sirisena and appointed him the party President whilst the other announced that it continues to hold defeated President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the party President.
A group of 21 SLFP MPs to which included former Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama speaking at a press briefing this afternoon announced that in keeping with the party constitution, the SLFP Central Committee appointed President Sirisena as the party President.
This appointment is in adherence to the party constitution which states that the member who holds the senior-most government position should be appointed into leadership. Along with its new leadership, several other appointments had also been made to the party including MP Duminda Dissanayake as the Secretary, MP Janaka Bandara Tennakoon as the National Organiser and SB Nawinna as the Treasurer. Former Presidents Chandrika Kumaratunga and Mahinda Rajapaksa had been appointed as patrons of the party under instructions of President Sirisena.
“The Central Committee is vested with the power to decide upon the SLFP member who should be appointed as the President of the party. CC today decided that the SLFP member who emerged victorious in the election should be the President of the party,” said former Minister Faiszer Musthapha.
Among the others who pledged their support to President Sirisena includes Vijith Vijayamuni Zoysa, Piyasena Gamage, Reginold Cooray, Athauda Senviratne and Dayasiri Jayasekera.
Zoysa who addressed the media at the press briefing said, “We love our appachchi (father) and when we lost him, we cried. But just because we love him, doesn’t mean we would keep his corpse inside our house forever. . .”
Meanwhile, another group of SLFP MPs lead by Susil Premjayanatha and Nimal Siripala de Silva held a press breifing at the SLFP Headquarters today with the attendance of defeated President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
They announced that the claims of the other group are false and that President Sirisena has not been appointed as the President of the party.
“It is evident by the number of MPs present here today that the majority support of the SLFP and the UPFA lies with Mahinda Rajapaksa. Count and see the number and you will see. . .Therefore, there has been no change in the leadership of the party,” former Minister Susil Premajayantha said.
Ranjan / January 12, 2015
Karma…karma…karma..
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Amarasiri / January 12, 2015
Latest Karma or Kama of Medamulana Mahinda Rajapaksa
Where did the “Presidential Astrologers” go wrong? They used the incorrect Geocentric Model? ???
Maithri wins majority in SLFP
SUNDAY, 11 JANUARY 2015 23:5
Mr. Maithripala Sirisena has won the majority in the Central Committee of the SLFP held today (11th). At a media conference held a short while ago it was stated that Mr. Maithripala Sirisena was elected as the president of the SLFP by majority vote.
Mr. Duminda Dissanayaka has been elected as the Secretary General of the party while Mr. S.B. Navinna has been elected as the treasurer and Mr. Janaka Bandara Tennekone has been elected as the national organizer. More than 30 ministers and MPs of the SLFP have participated at the meeting.
Mr. Gamini Vijith Vijayamuni Zoysa speaking at the occasion said, “The president and the secretary general of the SLFP contested the presidential election. The president was defeated and the secretary general won. There is crying when the father of a family dies. We too cried. But we wouldn’t keep his dead body at home.”
A powerful group from the SLFP that had been working hard in the election campaign of Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa joined Mr. Maithripala Sirisena a short while ago.
Among the stalwarts who joined Maithri faction are former Deputy Minister of Finance Sarath Amunugama, former Minister of Transport Kumara Welgama, former Minor Export Crop Promotion Reginald Cooray, former ministers Athauda Seneviratne,S.B. Navinna, Janaka Bandara Tennekone, Vijith Vijayamuni Zoysa, Piyasena Gamage and Jagath Pushpakumara.
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Dadisbidis / January 12, 2015
What goes around comes around. What happened to UNP in the not too distant past is being replayed with a vengence!
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kp / January 12, 2015
These people still haven’t got a clue or the hint. Mahinda can never get elected through legal/moral means. The majority have voted for maithripala, and if he succeeds in the plan that the Rajapakses are desperately trying to sabotage, people will regard my3 as one of the all-time greats in Lanka’s political history, and accordingly vote in the main party that helped him- the UNP. If he fails, the same people who voted for My3 will blame Mahinda and his stooges for dragging the country down and refuse to vote for him too.
This parasite should just go home and enjoy his retirement.
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Native Vedda / January 12, 2015
Javi, Ben Hurling, JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA, …………..
MR thought he had mastered the art of Sama, Dhana, Peda Dhanda.
Read this:
Mahinda Rajapaksa: Sri Lanka’s Saviour Or War Criminal?
27 October 2013
Senguttuvan
“The trait has turned into a habit and he has now divided the old Commonwealth unity as well. What talents The Great Scorer provides his subjects with?”
Out of the four process, Sama, Dhana, Peda and Dunda he practices just two, Peda and Dunda which creates anger and resentment among his divided opponents and remaining friends/opportunists.
Therefore due to the absence of Sama and Dhana in real terms, he is not going to last forever.
Native Vedda
October 31, 2013 at 3:11 am
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/mahinda-rajapaksa-
sri-lankas-saviour-or-war-criminal/
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / January 12, 2015
N V;
WIjaya Muni Zoysa;
who addressed the media at the press briefing said,
“We love our appachchi (father) and when we lost him, we cried. But just because we love him, doesn’t mean we would keep his corpse inside our house forever. . .”
I am telling all those Morons,
“Your APPACHI IS DEAD AND HIS DEEDs Also Cancerous, Disgusting like him, Bad Smelling and He has become a Shit pit.
So let the Chinees to Burry him immediately .
Do not Go near Him again.
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whywhy / January 12, 2015
Just weeks ago we even had a Health minister for weeks.
Now see the turn of events that put the Game-Master in
the receiving end!Now,enjoy what you sowed!Coming days,
very bad for you MARA.ONLY THE BUNCH OF RACISTS WILL
LOVE TO ENJOY THE COMPANY OF BORN RACIST MARA.UNDER A
WESTMINSTER SYSTEM,RACIST WILL BE WIPED OUT BY THE
UNITED SMALLER NUMBER OF VOTES.BE PREPARED TO FACE IT.
MARA NOW IS RACIST’S CHOICE!
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Piranha / January 12, 2015
If anyone thought the defeated Rajapaksa will go quietly they were mistaken. The dictator, stunned by the defeat, is trying to cling onto the leadership of the SLFP in order to cause trouble for the new president. Typical of him to behave in this manner. Maithri should expose his and his family’s criminal activities without delay so that Rajapaksa loses whatever support he has quickly.
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Gemunu Weeraya / January 12, 2015
THIS MAHINDA CRIMMINAL SHOULD BE EXPOSED AND PUNISHED FOR HIS CRIMES.
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Vibhushana / January 12, 2015
Well, neither My3 nor Mahinda can comeback into the Parliament. It would be regressive if they did.
So now, the YAPA faction should appoint a leader of the SLFP and appoint an opposition leader. The leader should then select a shadow cabinet of ministers.
SLFP should select a leader who has the values the public is yearning. He/she must be principled, law abiding and honest.
I would select Dullas Appuhami as the opposition leader. The next milestone will be political reform. There must be a strong opposition to vet and refine the policies.
I would also start collecting media pieces, speeches of UNP so that if they fail to deliver you have something to fight the next election. The turn around time will be short 4-years not 6 anymore.
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Reality / January 12, 2015
This clearly shows the Ex president MRs power greed in wanting to be elected again.His power Greed will never end but I doubt it very much as how desperate MR wants to be reelected, He requested for this election without completing the remaining 2 years in power simply due to the power greed not for the love of the country & ultimately proved the people didn’t want him to rule the country once again. As per Buddhism all bad doers will be punished he is no real Buddhist as his interest is in all astrologers and the stupid gadgets
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jenn / January 12, 2015
Cant imagine what would have happened to the minorities in 2009 during the racist MR’s rule… We the Majority were hood winked to believing it was a humanitarian war… Bull Shit…. We can now see MR”s true colours…
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Mark / January 12, 2015
Rajapakshe matteyas think they can hang on and under mine the new government. The main motivation for this is the evil they know will come out blowing their cover. Get Rupavahini to begin airing all the sordid matters it never mentioned before and we will see how long any sympathy for these monsters will last. Much of the votes that pushed Rajapakshe over the top in the rural southern electorates are not genuine votes that too will slowly emerge.
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Diogenes / January 12, 2015
Important. Reorganize the armed forces, police. Exonerate and reinstate Ms Shirani Bandaranayake and get rid of the De facto CJ – put him behind bars if necessary. Get rid of all Rajapaksa stooges in Administrative positions. Take immediate action against the Emperor of Medamulana `if` he has violated the Constitution.
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BBS Rep / January 12, 2015
MR’s power and grip on cronies will slowly wane. Susil Premjayanatha and Nimal Siripala de Silva will have no clout sooner rather than later. When investigations are started against MR, Gota and others for murder and mass fraud, one cronie after the other will start alienating themselves from MR. Loku Athula’s murder within Temple Trees in the presence of MR and Gota need to be investigated first.
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CHANAKYAN / January 12, 2015
Ahmed Khan Kasuri, a political opponent of Bhutto was murdered in 1974. In 1979, Bhutto was convicted and hanged. At the behest of fate, justice moves fast
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Diogenes / January 12, 2015
What happened to that Sumanaya the Minister of Astrology who gave the `D-Rope to Maninda? Actually he is the real hero behind this victory. He deserves a Presidential Award!
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Aia / January 12, 2015
Outcome of these two factions would have been different had the ministrial positions were not earmarked already. The ones with Mahinda look at the spoil, see nothing for themselves and make it looks like they are staunch loyalists of MR.
If the by-law says person holding higerest posiion among the members shold be the President of the party, MS selection is ok regardless of who nominate the candidate. A challenage is looming, do not get Mohan P to make ruling on this, then he will start the lines he recited at the UN … you know we are friends..
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Pot Shot / January 12, 2015
This is how Sarath referred to MS a month ago:
http://www.asianmirror.lk/news/item/5148-maithripala-riding-two-horses-amunugama
Today Sarath is desperate in trying to mount the same horse as MS. He is an intelligent man but badly used.
Off stage he is a well read intellectual and comes off well. On stage he is equal to Wimal. W.
He should know that this is a new era and he should leave his gutter style politics with MR as he crosses over.
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Estate Labourer / January 12, 2015
You are absolutely right. Dr. Sarath Amunugama is an unprincipled, opportunistic, crony intellectual.
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Lasanda / January 12, 2015
The powerful ministers are with president mahinda Rajapaksa.( back stabbing sirisena will never be a president)
We can do this!!!!! People are behind you all the way!!! Let’s start the drill!!!!
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Govinda / January 12, 2015
THIS MAHINDA CRIMMINAL SHOULD BE EXPOSED AND PUNISHED FOR HIS CRIMES.
Book MR in courts and crimes exposed and sentence given. Then a crook cannot hold the post of a President of a Party. He has to leave the post and enjpy the sentence of court
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Govinda / January 12, 2015
THIS MAHINDA CRIMMINAL SHOULD BE EXPOSED AND PUNISHED FOR HIS CRIMES.
Book MR in courts and crimes exposed and sentence given. Then a crook cannot hold the post of a President of a Party. He has to leave the post and enjpy the sentence of court.
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Kakka / January 12, 2015
i saw Malini Fonseka giggling away. She is not in the central committee. So in his familiar style Mahinda was lying.
There was no quorum there.
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Raja kularatne / January 13, 2015
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dayaratne / January 16, 2015
Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse did a great service to all Sri Lankans that any other President couldn’t do for years. He is a hero for all of us who lived in fear.
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