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Ultimatum issued to Mahinda as 92 MPs assure RW support

30 Jul, 2024

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By Easwaran Rutnam

A group of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MPs have issued an ultimatum to party leader Mahinda Rajapaksa after 92 MPs met Ranil Wickremesinghe and assured him support at the election in September.

The SLPP MPs demanded that Rajapaksa?make a u-turn on the decision not to support Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential election or face the consequences, Colombo Gazette learns.

Ninety-two MPs, mostly representing the SLPP and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) met the President in the presence of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and guaranteed their support to him at the election in September.

The SLPP MPs have warned Rajapaksa that if the party continues to stick with the decision taken on Monday they will be forced to reconsider their support to the party at the next Parliament election.

The group of SLPP MPs have also warned that failing to support Wickremesinghe could lead to the eventual death of the SLPP.

SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam had told reporters, Monday, that the SLPP decided, by majority, to nominate its own candidate at the election in September.

However, SLPP MP and Cabinet Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said that the SLPP politburo which met on Monday did not constitute the majority of the SLPP.

He said that a majority of the MPs represented in Parliament met the President, Tuesday, and assured him their support.

The Minister said that while most SLPP MPs want to back the incumbent President there are a handful who are against it. (Colombo Gazette)

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