NO NOMINATIONS FOR MAHINDA!

NO NOMINATIONS FOR MAHINDA!

-- PRESIDENT MAITHRI GIVES FINAL VERDICT

A special meeting was held this evening (2) at the

Presidential Secretariat between President Maithripala Sirisena and Party leaders of the United People's Freedom Alliance. What was subjected as a significant topic of discussion there was the final decision to be taken over the pressure brought upon regarding the issue of giving nominations in the Alliance or group leadership to former President Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa.

It was regarding this point that the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, former Opposition leader Nimal Siripala de Silva, General Secretary of the United People's Freedom Alliance Susil Premajayanth as well as John Seneviratna and Dilan Perera and former parliament members discussed this evening with President Maithripala at length.

The President not being prepared to contest in the Alliance other than with his comrades only was a point which was subjected to debate on this occasion. The President's argument was that the people's vote bestowed on him could not be justified if the clan who were accused of corruption were not boycotted. As such, President Maithripala Sirisena's final verdict was made known during the special meeting held among Party leaders of the United Freedom Alliance this evening around 6.30. That it is not possible to even give nominations in the Alliance for the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was thus pronounced as the final decision of President Maithripala Sirisena,

Since the necessary background was set for this decision during the past two or three days, political sources say that Mahinda Rajapaksa has settled down to contesting from an alternate Party. It was also learned that his supporters had rocked to the home of the former President in Mirihana this night and are discussing this latest situation. They had held this preliminary discussion at Professor G.L. Pieris's home in Colombo this afternoon.