Chief Ministers of seven Provincial Councils are planning to meet former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to discuss a strategy for the restoration of unity among party circles in view of the upcoming Local Government polls and Provincial Council elections, Sri Lanka Freedom Party sources said. The idea of meeting the former president had come up at an unofficial discussion among provincial ministers after a formal meeting with President Maithripala Sirisena at Temple Trees recently. All seven Chief Ministers excluding Chief Ministers of Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils had taken part in the discussion. The Chief Ministers who were highly concerned about the inevitable election defeat of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party at the forthcoming elections owing to the discord in the party, decided to have a meeting with the former president to discuss about reuniting the dissenting party members. President Sirisena reportedly had not objected to the Chief Ministers’ idea. He had consented to go ahead with their decision.
“I am in power until 2020. But you will have to face elections during this year. A division of the party will affect the party in all elections. I do not want stop you from taking any initiative to restore unity in the party,” President Sirisena had reportedly responded positively to the Chief Ministers.
The Chief Ministers assigned Sabaragamuwa Chief Minister Maheepala Herath to initiate the deal with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
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