Clearly showing divisions in the SLFP, several key ex- Parliamentarians supporting President Maithripala Sirisena did not take part in the rally held in support of Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Duminda Dissanayake
The notable absentee among them was Minister Duminda Dissanayake who boycotted the rally held at Salgadu stadium in Anuradhapura.
S.B. Dissanayake, Shantha Bandara and Sarath Amunugama too were not seen among members who took part in the rally.
Although Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva attended the rally, he looked stressed and pensive.
A few hours before the rally, President Maithripala Sirisena appointed a new electorate organizer for Mihinthale. He was S.M. Ranjith Samarakoon, Chief Minister of the North Central province. Samarakoon is widely considered as the political rival of Minister Dissanayake.
The rally did not have a single picture of President Maithripala Sirisena who is also the Chairman of the UPFA.
Jason / July 18, 2015
CT needs to get its facts right, Shantha Bandara was at the meeting.
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Amarasiri / July 18, 2015
RE: SLFP Divisions Visible At A’pura Rally: Duminda Boycotts, His Rival Gets New Electorate
“The rally did not have a single picture of President Maithripala Sirisena who is also the Chairman of the UPFA.”
Even though Mahinda Rajapaksa talked and spewed his usual bullshit selectively, the reception was luke warm.
So, Matripala Supporters and the rank and file of SLFP will not support Mahinda Rajapaksa, enthusiastically, the way the cronies would do.
After all what is in it for them?
We know what is in it Mahinda and the Cronies.Saving their skins ans stealing and more corruption.
MaRa MaRa Chatu MaRa Amana MaRa Ego MaRa MaRa shills…
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Vanguard / July 18, 2015
Duminda can boycott – as long as he does not remain ‘neutral’. Remaining neutral is very damaging to the party these days.
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Vanguard / July 18, 2015
As long as he is not neutral, that’s ok.
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Paddy / July 18, 2015
Way to go guys!! Kudos to these MPs who are refusing to be pushed around. It takes guts. You are making the difference.
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Sirisena Yatawara / July 18, 2015
MS has no business and politics as Chair person of UPFA.
He is man who back by UNP-wicks and CBK.
How can not he join UPFA campaign?
MS is playing role on behalf of Indian-RAW and US-CIA.
His politics are not only confined to our border in nationally,
he is an Internationalist!
He works with Tamil Diaspora, US Kerry, Britain Her Majesty Queen Elzerbrith the second and Modya Of Indian PM.
Is quite correct his supports has not join UPFA inguration rally.
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Aia / July 18, 2015
His absence goes to show some Sinhala Buddhists have started to understand what is at stake this time. Minorities are clear about what is good and what is bad to them. Only have Sinhala Buddhists to prove whether they want Gnanasara or Shobitha to protect the their religion. For village folks, in January they didn’t knew all what MR and his family were up to as media was gaged, but in the last six months they knew most of what they have done.
As some trying to scare people, it is obvious that good governance is expected to incline towards West, not with the rogue nations like China, Russia, etc. But they will not be bad as the East. Even those who are bashing West, if they were given a opportunity to send their children to education, they will go after West; even most of who are making critical comment about West are safely live in West. Gota could not afford to forgo his USA citizenship, so was Basil, that says a lot about patriotism.
MR himself seems relieved that he was able to contest in UFPA but his face showed the concerns he has, the response of the crowed was very lukewarm. MR allowed to play his own game and spit the dummy comes Aug. People expected to hear what happened to Sajiin, Duminda, His Drug baron PM, etc from him but disappointed. I would like to see Dayan, the theoretician of smart patriotic on the dais, but no avail. They have nothing to sell, except flocking the LTTE. People seems to have forgotten the LTTE, but MR asking have you forgotten pre 2009 seems quite funny and showed his pathetic attempt to buys some votes, such was the desparation.
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Diluk Desinghe / July 18, 2015
Battle lines have been drawn…………let the games begin!!
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Just Saying / July 18, 2015
Do you need to make CT’s bias SO obvious? A gigantic crowd and a united UPLF must be like thorns in your eyes.
SB would have been booed for what he said about MR. As for MS, who would want an impotent Chairman who can’t fire a corrupt Governor of the Central Bank and who wishes ill on someone trying the resuscitate your own party?
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roger / July 18, 2015
It was a big crowd but the response from the crowds was very weak, it was mostly a passive crowd. You cannot decide by crows, which can be brought and bought. MY3 has started working slowly time will determine whether MR faction is going to remove MY3 from SLFP headship or MY3 going to remove secretary of SLFP. Plan to remover MY3 failed its unlikely to surface again before elections.
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Just saying / July 18, 2015
MS has now become irrelevant – he is seen as a child who in frustration hits out at both parents. He is a de facto figurehead and will remain so.
My point is on CT’s selective reporting policy – this article is surely based on less than a straw.
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Piranha / July 18, 2015
Sirisena has caused himself and his yahapalanaya movement a lot of trouble by allying the Satan to contest as a UPFA member. The Satan appears to have taken over the SLFP as well as the UPFA in one sweep after receiving the nomination. Sirisena failed to see that the so called seniors of his party were working to bring back the Satan to power from the beginning. They are a bunch of corrupt politicians who benefitted immensely under the Satan’s patronage.
I hope the opposition Allianz can work the magic again and beat the Satan and his evil gang.
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Naga / July 18, 2015
It is of course natural for those SLFPers who received nominations and who are on the side of Sirisena to boycott the Anuradhapura rally. SB Dissanayake is not a man of principles and even Chandrika will not look at his face because of his treachery.
CT’s comments “Although Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva attended the rally, he looked stressed and pensive” is not correct beause Nimal made a rousing speech in support of Mahinda and said Mahinda will be made the Prime Minister if UPFA wins.
Sirisena may appoint whoever he wants as organisers. But, the fact remains that some 107 UPFA candidates attending the rally took an oath to make Mahinda the next Prime Minister in the event of a certain UPFA victory. This man Sirisena has lost his mind and come August 18 his life will be made miserable.
This time, Americans and Indians will fail in their efforts to prevent Mahinda coming back to power. Mahinda will be the undisputed choice of the majority Sinhalese voters never mind whichever way the Tamils and Muslims vote.
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Jayasingha / July 18, 2015
How can you have a picture of a person, Chairman or not at a party rally who is not supporting your side? Will UNP have a picture of MR at their rallies? Absentees at the rally because they do not want to face their leaders and colleagues whom they have betrayed.
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Jayasingha / July 18, 2015
How can you have a picture of a person, Chairman or not at a party rally who is not supporting your side? Will UNP have a picture of MR at their rallies? Absentees at the rally because they do not want to face their leaders and colleagues whom they have betrayed. Why don’t you mention the number of and names of UPFA/SLFP MPs who attended the meeting compared to those who did not attend?
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Rio Ziegelaar / July 18, 2015
So the rogues/criminals/morons of SLFP with the likes of Amunugama’s etc are again doing what they do best, jumping onto a better bandwagon. Only this way you can live like a parasite and suck further. And most probably they will also be offered Ministerial positions too.
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thondamannar / July 18, 2015
It is likely those jumpers and those with a foot on either side for selfish gains could loose or mis their step.
Its happening and getting clear.
107 took an Oath. That number sounds something to crow about.
It was just a looserner at Anuradhapura turned out to be a good ball.
Has Duminda Dissanayake missed the bus?
No pictures. It was enviromentally friendly.
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humbug ho / July 18, 2015
First let the 107 win the election. Dont count the chickens too early.
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K.A Sumanasekera / July 18, 2015
Who the hell is Duminda Dissanayaka?..
I can understand if it was Duminda Silva, because his ex flame Hiruni is now a fully blown Green Cow, who adores the living rooms in Colombo Elite households and even the Poodle Club in Kurunduwatta.
in fact even young gun UNPers like Senasinghe is hoping to cash in on her popular appeal among the Elite and the Anglicans to get a ride to parliament.
I am not sure about any divisions when 115 MPs answered the call to Arms to defend the poor rural majority and save the Nation from LTTE Supporters and Batalanada Ranil.
As the ex President printed, the big ass divisions will be in the Yahapalana Camp with Abiththya Champika and Venerable Rathna both sitting with Bodhi Sira and trying to sneak into Parliament on the back of the Green Elephant.
This is the Duo who went ape shit when Rajapaksa tried to accommodate the TNA after Nathikadal.
Just imagine what Rathne and Abiththaya will do if Bodhi Sira agrees to Batalanada Ranil to make Vellala Sambandan the Special Minister, and give him both North and the East to control with full TNA Police and Land Titles as agreed in the MOU in Singapore and London..
BTW Isn’t it a nice way to avoid any referendum on devolution …
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Jim softy / July 18, 2015
Ranil wickramsinghe’s gove was no different from the former Rajapakse govt.
In that sense, Mahinda Rajapakse govt is better.
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Jim softy / July 18, 2015
Duminda Dissanayake’s only qualification is the father was a Provincial council chief minister.
Other wise, he may not have passed even the GRADE 10.
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MrRetort / July 20, 2015
Most of the UPFA are of that standard.
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Senthil / July 19, 2015
This is the time Tamils have to act wisely. Earlier it a Singhalese person raise his voice, Tamils run away and LTTE changed that situation. Our politicians also have to change their attitude to speak for Tamils without worrying that Singhalese will get offended. We eat food for us not for others. People with back bone only should come to politics not to make money and die without enjoying that money like our MR modia. TNA looks like moving in the right direction (could have given a chance to Ananthi). This time Tamils have no other choice other than giving their full support to TNA, no point in testing some one else at this critical time. Known devil is better than unknown God. Actually now Srilanka is in a pathetic situation. There is a story. A friend hit his friend and the affected person asked a thug to help him. Finally his friend became his friend again but that thug became a permanent nuisance to him. Likewise Singhalese could have resolved their misunderstanding with Tamils among them without inviting India, China, paki and others for help.
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thondamannar / July 19, 2015
“these MPs who are refusing to be pushed around”
Its certainly not guts its to get even due to an old mis-understanding of position between father Berty and MR.
WHAT GUTS DOES THIS POLITICIAN PUP HAVE OTHER THAN TO SEEK A REWARD AND SOME FREE PUBLICITY NOW THAT HIS FATHER IS NO MORE..
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edward thennakoon / July 20, 2015
I was told by a person from Mahipala Herath’s village that Mahipala was a former domestic aide at Anuruddha Ratwatte’s residence and was brought to politics by the Ratwatte family. Such is the type of fellows the general public of this country has appointed to rule them..What more can you expect from these fellows other than doing drug business
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