The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has decided to appoint Minister of Ports, Aviation and Shipping Nimal Siripala de Silva as the party’s Acting Chairman.
This decision has been arrived at during the SLFP politburo meeting led by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, which was held this morning (08) at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.
The SLFP convened the party’s politburo in order to discuss the future course of action of the party, in view of its current internal crisis situation.
It was reported that all party members excluding former President Maithripala Sirisena, former General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara and MP Shan Vijayalal de Silva have been invited for the relevant meeting.
On Thursday (04), the Colombo District Court issued an interim injunction preventing former President Maithripala Sirisena from functioning as the SLFP chairman, following a complaint filed by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.
Nevertheless, Sirisena has reacted, saying that he intends to present facts before the court regarding the matter.
Meanwhile, the Acting General Secretary of SLFP Dushmantha Mithrapala lodged a complaint with the Maradana Police on Friday (05), alleging that several ‘important’ files have gone missing from the party headquarters.
Thus, entering the SLFP headquarters in Darley Road, Colombo 10, has been prohibited for all individuals, due to the ongoing investigation into the relevant complaint.
Earlier in March, former President Maithripala Sirisena had stirred controversy when he claimed he was aware of the true mastermind of the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks and that he was prepared to disclose the information to the judiciary if inquired from him or if an order is issued regarding the matter.
Speaking to the media in Kandy, Sirisena said that he is ready to disclose the relevant information and that at the same time, it is the responsibility of the judges to keep the information strictly confidential.
Injunction extended
Meanwhile, the interim injunction order preventing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s Executive Committee from removing Duminda Dissanayake, Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Mahinda Amaraweera from their respective positions in the party, has been extended until April 24.
The Colombo District judge Sandun Withana issued this order when a plaint filed by the relevant MPs was taken up this morning (08).
A group of individuals including former President Maithripala Sirisena and Acting General Secretary of SLFP Sarathi Dushmantha Mithrapala have been named as respondents of the relevant plaints, through which an order is sought declaring that the decision taken by the party’s executive committee to expel them without any disciplinary investigation to be unlawful.
The Executive Committee of the SLFP decided to remove Dissanayake, Alagiyawanna and Amaraweera from their respective positions in the party, during a special party meeting held on March 30.
Accordingly, Dissanayake was stripped of his post as the National Organizer, Alagiyawanna was removed as the Treasurer and Amaraweera as the Senior Vice President.
Meanwhile, SLFP also appointed a new Senior Vice President, a Treasurer and a National Organizer after the trio was stripped of their respective positions.
Thereby, SLFP’s Mahiyanganaya Constituency Organizer K. P. Gunawardena was appointed to the post of National Organizer, former Western Provincial Minister Hector Bethmage as the Treasurer and former Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake as the Senior Vice President.
This decision was communicated to SLFP members during a special party meeting convened by the Chairman of the SLFP, former President Maithripala Sirisena, amidst the controversy of his statements regarding the Easter attacks’ masterminds.
(adaderana.lk)
