A renewed attempt is under way to bring together President Maithripala Sirisena and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, even as the prospect of early dissolution of Parliament and announcement of election is looming large.
Early last week, Mr. Sirisena, also the chairperson of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), constituted a six-member committee headed by former Minister John Senewiratne, to resolve issues between the two camps within the party. Sounding confident of the eventual outcome of the present initiative, Dilan Perera, spokesperson of the SLFP, told THE HINDU on Tuesday that the committee met the President on June 19. The meeting was “forward looking”. The panel would discuss the matter with Mr Rajapaksa on Friday and present a formula to Mr Sirisena.
On Sunday, the President lauded the services of former Presidents Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Mr Rajapaksa to the country, in a party meeting in Nuwara Eliya, cautioning the party members that the SLFP would not be able to form a government as long as it remained divided.
Cabinet spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne, who quit the Rajapaksa regime along with Mr Sirisena in November last, had recently met Basil Rajapaksa, younger brother of the former President. Even while acknowledging that the meeting lasted two hours, Dr. Senaratne told THE HINDU that he met Mr Basil Rajapaksa who was his classmate. “As he is now in hospital and wanted me to meet him, I went there.” The Cabinet spokesperson, who last week told the media that Mr Sirisena was against accommodating the former President in the Parliamentary elections, added there was no change in the position.
