Sri Lanka presidential polls: SLFP signs MoU with SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Sri Lanka Freedom Party
(SLFP) today signed a
memorandum of
understanding (MoU) with the
presidential candidate of Sri
Lanka People’s Party (SLPP)
Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The
MoU is to ensure SLFP
support for Mr. Gotabaya at
the elections scheduled for
16th of next month. It was
signed by SLFP General
Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara
and Mr. Gotabaya in Colombo
this morning The latter
termed it as a momentous
occasion while Mr. Davasri
tweeted that i is a great
moment in transforming the
landscape of Sri Lanka. Both
parties had already agreed to
form an alliance for the
upcoming elections as well
as the General elections
expected early next year.

SLPP is a breakaway group of
SLFP, formed after the defeat
of Mahinda Rajapaksa at the
last Presidential elections.
President Maithripala
Sirisena, who was leading the
SLFP, has decided to quit the
chairman post and remain
neutral at the elections.

Former President Chandrika
Kumaratunga has opposed
alliance of SLFP with SLPP
saying it has put SLFP future
at stake. Mr. Gotabaya, a
former defence secretary and
brother of Mahinda Rajapaksa
is mainly pitted against
minister Sajith Premadasa at
the elections, being
contested by record 35
candidates.