The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), the ruling political party, yesterday (22) appointed a new Chairman during an Executive Committee meeting, which was not attended by its former Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris.

During the committee meeting, which was held under the leadership of the Party Leader, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Ven. Prof. Uthurawala Dhammarathana Thera was appointed as the new Chairman of the SLPP.

Addressing the press after the meeting, SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam said that the party had invited former Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris to the meeting, but he had not attended it.

The SLPP moved to remove Peiris from the post of Chairman in March after a series of disputes between them.

“At the meeting, the previous members who held office were reelected, while a decision was taken to appoint Ven. Prof. Uthurawala Dhammarathana Thera as the new Chairman in place of Prof G.L. Peiris. When we created the SLPP, it was another party which was registered as the Sri Lanka Jathika Peramuna (SLJP) which we used to make the SLPP and Ven. Dhammarathana Thera was part of that party from the beginning, so he has been with us. He was the founding Chairman of the SLPP. 

“Today, since Prof. Peiris isn’t carrying out the duties of the Chairman for the party, there was a request from the members to appoint Ven. Dhammarathana Thera as the Chairman, therefore the appointment was made,” Kariyawasam explained.

Attempts by The Sunday Morning to contact Prof. Peiris about the decision failed.