SLPP not ruling out Basil as presidential candidate

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) says it will not rule out former Minister Basil Rajapaksa as being the next presidential candidate of the party.

SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam told reporters today that the SLPP has not made a final decision on the presidential candidate of the party.

However, he said the party had not decided to back current President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

He said that SLPP MP and Minister Kanchana Wijeysekera had said that Wickremesinghe is a suitable candidate.

“There is nothing wrong in that statement. But that does not mean he will be the presidential candidate of our party,” Kariyawasam said.

Kariyawasam said that the SLPP has a number of suitable candidates to contest the next presidential election.

He said that Basil Rajapaksa has shown the country what he can do and is a suitable leader. (Colombo Gazette)