CWC, SLFP to support Gotabhaya at Presidential elections

The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) will support opposition presidential candidate Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at the upcoming election, UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera said today (Oct 9).

"The CWC led by parliamentarian Arumugam Thondaman will work towards ensuring the victory of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa by obtaining the votes of the estate community," Amaraweera told a news conference.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) which is a constituent party of the UPFA also announced that they would support Rajapaksa.

However, SLFP leader President Maithripala Sirisena would take a non-partisan stance during the election, party General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara said.

Professor Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa will serve as the Acting SLFP Chairman until the conclusion of the poll.

Jayasekara noted his party had decided to support Rajapaksa since all fractions upholding the SLFP's policies were on his side. "This doesn't mean that we would join the SLPP. We will only support Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at the upcoming election," he explained.

The SLFP’s alliance with the SLPP had been in limbo after their counterparts had not responded positively regarding their request to contest the poll under a common symbol.

However, UPFA General Secretary Amaraweera said the SLFP and SLPP would contest next year's parliamentary election under the 'Sri Lanka Nidahas Podujana Sandhanaya' alliance represented by the symbol of a chair.

The SLFP General Secretary said that his party would sign two Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)'s with the SLPP and with Rajapaksa to form the alliance.

UPFA General Secretary Amaraweera said that some clauses in the agreement, would be to introduce a new electoral system, limit the ministerial cabinet upto 30 persons, establish a common law, and delegate ministries in an appropriate manner, if voted into power.

Meanwhile, SLFP parliamentarians Duminda Dissanayake and Weerakumara Dissanayake will also attend Rajapaksa's maiden rally in Anuradhapura, after he had been accepted as a candidate by the Election Commission this week.

(Pics by Indika Handuwala)

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