The Common Candidate of the 2015 Presidential Election, Maithripala Sirisena, says that he is still a member and the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), which recently appointed a new secretary following his defection.
“Even today, I am still a member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party as well as the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party,” he said, speaking to journalists after visiting the Bandaranaike Memorial Monument in Horagolla today.
He stated that the cancellation of his party membership and removal from the post of SLFP General Secretary have not been done lawfully.
Sirisena stated that he has continuously served in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party for 47 years and that he decided to contest the upcoming Presidential Election as a Common Candidate, following an invitation extended to him by various organizations and several groups
He stated that the United National Party (UNP) has made a sacrifice to make the SLFP General Secretary the Opposition’s Common Candidate.
“There is no need for anyone to get upset over this. I have not joined the United National Party. I am not a member of the United National Party.”
“We are forming an alliance over a common cause,” he emphasized.
Sirisena stated that this new alliance, which they will officially announce tomorrow or the following day, will comprise of several parties including the United National Party and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.
The former Health Minister also hinted at the possibility of more defections from the SLFP in the near future, despite assurance from the government on Sunday that no more “betrayals” would occur.
