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UPFA invites MR for its May Day rally; wait and see
The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), the main party in Parliament in a minority government, yesterday said that it had sent an 
invitation to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to participate in its May Day rally.
UPFA General Secretary, Susil Premajayantha said that invitations have been personally handed over to all members of the Alliance to participate in the 2015 May Day Rally, and Mr Rajapaksa, as a patron of the UPFA, has also been invited.
However, UPFA were sceptical of Mr Rajapaksa’s presence at the UPFA rally.
Last week, five of his supporters including a minister and prominent parliamentarians were given letters of dismissal from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Central Committee, for participating in a rally organised in Ratnapura to support Mr Rajapaksa’s return to politics.
Mr. Premajayantha said that although the invitations have been extended the constituent parties have the freedom to hold their own rallies, and if the former president’s supporters wanted to hold a separate rally they are within their rights. “Rajapaksa is also a patron of the UPFA,” he said.
However, he said that he was hopeful of Mr Rajapaksa’s participation. He said he hadn’t received any response yet, while it is too early to expect one.
Meanwhile, Kurunegala District MP T.B. Ekanayake, one of the ‘sacked five’, said he expects to participate in the rally. “Must join,” he said.
Other four of the ‘sacked five’ are Kurunegala District MP, Salinda Dissanayake, former Education Minister, Bandula Gunewardena, Anurdhapura District MP, S.M. Chandrasena and Kalutara District MP, Rohitha Abeygunawardena.
The UPFA will have its May Day meeting at the Hyde Park grounds in Colombo. While the party does not intend to go in procession, it has asked its supporters to gather at Gamini Hall, Maradana, Vihara Mahadevi Park, Colombo, and Brooke Bond junction, Colombo 2, from where they will march to Hyde Park grounds.
To date, the party has not finalised its resolutions yet. Premajayantha said that with two weeks to go, the party is still working on it.
The United National Party (UNP) will hold its rally at Campbell Park, Borella.
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said that it will hold its rally at the Burgher Recreation Club (BRC) Grounds, Colombo 5. Their procession will start at the SS Mahinda Vidyalaya, Dehiwala, around 12 noon, and is expected reach the BRC grounds around 4 pm.
JVP MP Vijitha Herath said that they intend using this opportunity to empower the people to choose the right candidates at the forthcoming Parliamentary elections. “We want to unite the peoples’ power,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mano Ganeshan’s Western Democratic Front (WDF) said that it is holding its rally at Jampettah Street, and its slogan will be to share political power and unite the nation.
The Nava Sama Samaja Party (NSSP) will hold its meeting at Gunasinghepura bus stand, its leader Wickramabahu Karunaratne said, adding that, his party, among others, would call for a minimum wage of Rs 15,000 to improve the quality of life of the working class.