News

MR ready to contest under another party

02 Jul, 2015

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa?may look at contesting the parliamentary elections under another political party if President Maithripala Sirisena fails to nominate him as the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate.

An opposition parliamentarian close to Rajapakse said on the grounds of anonymity that negotiations were still underway between the two groups loyal to Rajapakse and Sirisena?in order to reach a settlement for Rajapakse to contest under the opposition United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA).

However he said that if the negotiations fail, then the former president along with his supporters would be forced to contest under?another party.

“Still we have not finalized anything as negotiations are underway with senior UPFA members on behalf of President Sirisena. The President has already said that the will accommodate Mahinda Rajapakse in the UPFA list and will make him the head of the UPFA’s election campaign. However if we fail to reach a compromise on him being nominated as the main prime ministerial candidate, then he will be forced to contest under another party,” Rajapakse’s close aide said.

The former President yesterday?broke a long silence and formally announced that he will contest the August 17 Presidential Elections and look to form a new government in the island country.

He however did not say under which political party he will look to contest the parliamentary polls and if he is still seeking the post of Prime Minister.

President Sirisena has maintained that he would not nominate Rajapakse as Prime Minister but would give him nominations from the UPFA party to contest the elections. (Colombo Gazette)

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