STONES STRIKE WASP-NEST AFTER MAITHRI'S SPEECH!

STONES STRIKE WASP-NEST AFTER MAITHRI'S SPEECH!

WILL BE REMOVED FROM CHAIRMANSHIP?

MEDIA CONFRONTATION TO GIVE REPLY

A political outburst has occured after yesterday's speech in the evening by President Maithripala

Sirisena after a long silence and with the forthcoming General Election drawing nigh. Because of the statement made by Maithri that Mahinda will not be getting the position of Prime Minister and that that clan would be deplored, the last hopes of the Party supporters of the election battle of the UPFA has collapsed, thus providing an advantageous situation for the UNP. Those who are engaged in directing the UPFA election battle have begun to criticise the President on the understanding that he had made a speech which should not have been made and even put that Party into difficulties. What former Minister Janaka Bandara Tennekoon who was disappointed over the President for having made a speech massacring the Mahinda faction said at his home last night in Dambulla:

                         "I am making this statement not as the deputy chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party nor as a Minister .... as a pure Sri Lanka Freedom Party member. When I listened to the speech of our Honourable President today I felt so sorry. He is a person whom I love very much and respect. My personal opinion is that making such a speech as the chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party at a juncture of the elections when we have come forward today would create a terrible disadvantage to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party".

In the process, it is reported that a group of UPFA senior candidates contesting for the General Elections have got together in the company of former President Mahinda last night (15) at former President Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa's home in Mirihana and had engaged in a special discussion. Attention was focused in this instance on the special speech made by President Mr. Maithripala Sirisena yesterday and about the steps that should be taken over future election activities spoken of. However the decision in this regard has still not been revealed. What internal sources said was that the discussion centred on whether Maithripala Sirisena could be kept further in the position of chairman of the SLFP and UPFA. Attention was focused on the point whether if he could be removed, how it could be carried out.

In the meantime, it is learned that as a response to the President's speech, the United People's Freedom Alliance has decided to call a media briefing today (15). While it is seen that the conflict of the SLFP that prevailed at the end of the nominations day appears to be dragged on and on and when a short period of just four and a half weeks is left for the elections, a state of confusion such as this flaring up would be disadvantageous for the propaganda programme of the UPFA.