Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa will contest the upcoming General Election from the Kurunegala District, says former Minister T.B. Ekananayake.

Despite initial objections from President Maithripala Sirisena, it was reported yesterday that the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has decided to give nominations to Rajapaksa to contest at the General Election on August 17.

With the receiving of the written approval from the UPFA General Secretary yesterday we invited the former President to contest from the Kurunegala District, which had 1.4 million votes, Ekanayake said. 

He also said that Rajapaksa had agreed to the invitation to contest from the Kurunegala District. 

By contesting from the Kurunegala District he will enter Parliament with the highest percentage of votes and ensure that the UPFA gets the highest number of seats in Parliament, he told reporters in Kandy today. 

The former Cultural Affairs Minister stated that as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), President Sirisena took a good decision in deciding to give the former President nominations to contest under the UPFA ticket 

“He took the decision as a leader who has understood the heart beat of the country.” Certain objections were directed at the decision, but in the end the objections were defeated and justice prevailed, Ekanayake said.