Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s camp has confirmed that President Maithripala Sirisena has refused to name Rajapaksa as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).
A United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) politician who is supporting Rajapaksa, said that Sirisena’s stand had been communicated to Rajapaksa by opposition leader and SLFP member Nimal Siripala de Silva in Kandy today.
Sirisena had agreed to give nominations to Rajapaksa from the UPFA or SLFP but not the Prime Minister post.
Sources said that the UPFA members who are supporting Rajapaksa will meet him tonight and discuss their next move.
Rajapaksa is scheduled to announce his position with regards to the August 17 Parliament election, at a media briefing in Madamulana tomorrow.
Meanwhile, in a statement, the SLFP also confirmed that Rajapaksa has not been named as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the party. (Colombo Gazette)