Presidential candidate of SLFP is President Sirisena without doubt: Nimal

Former Minister and Senior Vice President of the SLFP, Nimal Siripala De Silva reiterated that the Presidential candidate of the SLFP would be President Maithripala Sirisena.

He added that the SLFP would do its utmost to promote President Sirisena as the common candidate of the joint opposition against the UNF candidate to garner the support of all progressive and anti-UNP forces including the SLPP and in particular the Leader of the Opposition, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Mr. De Silva, addressing a news briefing held at the party office last morning to introduce and congratulate newly elected General Secretary of the SLFP, former Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara, said that Mr. Jayasekara has taken over the General Secretary post at an extremely critical time.

“The hasty political decisions taken on personal agendas have weakened the SLFP in the recent times. We must never be seen as a party that arrives at decisions abruptly. Party decisions must be debated among party members before a final decision is taken,” he stressed.

Being a young, educated and enthusiatic political activist in the party, Mr. Jayasekara has the strength and stamina to take the SLFP to victory in every election scheduled to take place, both this year as well as the next, he said and added, Mr. Jayasekara needs the support, cooperation and encouragement of all to achieve that target.

The hope of all SLFPer and those who support the SLPP is that the UNF government will be unseated sooner rather than later and a general election held thereafter. We have no doubt that we can grab power at a general election with a big majority and to do that all progressive forces must unite under the SLFP forgetting all their differences, Mr. De Silva added.

General Secretary of the SLFP Dayasiri Jayasekara said his main challenge was to unite all anti-UNP forces under the SLFP umbrella.

“I know it is a difficult task but not impossible, I am ready to work around the clock in 2019 to unite all progressive and patriotic forces against the UNF. My humble request to those who quit the SLFP is, ‘Please come back’, he said.

Mr. Jayasekara said all party supporters, members and officials must perform their assigned duties diligently and on time as 2019 is an election year and the SLFP must win all three elections, namely Provincial Councils, Presidential and Parliamentary.