The Chairman of the SLFP former President Maithripala Sirisena said, “From now on we will not make any deal with the government. We are not ready to have any connection with the government. We have already submitted letters and proposals to the government. Going back to talks with the government is now over.”
The former President made this statement at the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s Colombo District Convention held at Campbell Park, Borella yesterday (12th) regarding the swearing in of Shantha Bandara, a former Deputy Secretary of the party.
He further said, “I am saddened by what MP Shantha Bandara did. Shantha Bandara has destroyed his own political life. He has no knowledge of the repercussions in accepting ministerial posts in a government that has deteriorated to this level. Also, Shantha Bandara had said that he notified me prior to accepting this ministerial post. However, he never even notified me through a phone call. Had he told me, I would have sent a vehicle to wherever he was and got him over and prevented it. As far as I know, I am not such a fool to agree to such a move. The SLFP has a clear future ahead.”
The former president also said that the people are suffering as a result of the crisis that was created by the government, adding that despite proposals being submitted on how the public could be saved from this crisis, the government had not paid any attention. Therefore, he said that there is nothing that the people could expect from this government and therefore, all dealings with the government would be terminated from now on.
Independent members of the ruling party boycotted a discussion between President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and their group last evening (12) over the appointment of Shantha Bandara as a state minister.
