MAHINDA TO CONTEST FROM 'CHAIR'?

MAHINDA TO CONTEST FROM 'CHAIR'? 

FROM RATNAPURA?

It is understood that a special discussion is being held by

this time at Professor G.L. Peiris's residence in Colombo about former President Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa contesting from another Party after leaving the United People's Freedom Alliance. Several MPs who were close to Mahinda have got together for this purpose. At this meeting the discussion will hover around a Party name and the area which could bring in the best advantages. The suggestion of Podu Jana Eksath Peramuna with Chair as the symbol with D.M. Jayaratna holding the position of Secretary and Mahinda holding the position of Chairman has won the best recognition.

Apart from that, political sources say that Parties such as Dinesh Gunawardena's Mahajana Eksath Peramuna as well as Sri Lanka Jathika Balaya too had been proposed. According to political strategy it has been decided that the region that Mahinda Rajapaksa should come forward at the forthcoming General Election should not be Hambantota or the the Southern Province and since those areas are advantages to Mahinda in any case, attention has been focused on diverting his abilities towards another direction. As such, a suggestion has been discussed that Ratnapura would be more agreeable for Mahinda. In the process, ideas have cropped up from among the crowd that if Gampaha or Kurunegala is chosen by Mahinda, it would be more suitable. Whatever it is, all these suggestions are still at the level of being considered, and no final decision has been arrived at.