Against the backdrop of reports that certain Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Government Members are expecting SLPP National Organiser and former Minister Basil Rajapaksa to become the Party Leader, there will however be no change of any positions within the Party any time soon, The Daily Morning learned.

It was recently reported that loyalists of Rajapaksa were promoting him as the Party Leader but that many SLPP members were of the view that such a move would make the SLPP unpopular.

The Daily Morning contacted SLPP General Secretary and Parliamentarian, Attorney Sagara Kariyawasam and queried as to whether there would be any change of the positions within the Party, to which he said: “When some questioned me as to whether Rajapaksa would be the next Presidential candidate, I said that the Party is yet to make a decision. There is one year and four months time for the next Presidential Election, so we do not want to rush into a decision, but I said that Rajapaksa is also a candidate who can be considered to be fielded. Other than that, no changes will be made to positions within the SLPP.”

Meanwhile, speaking at a recent media briefing, SLPP MP, Prof. Ranjith Bandara had said that Rajapaksa would be the SLPP's Leader while former President and incumbent MP and SLPP Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa will be a “spiritual leader”. When queried about the said statement, Kariyawasam said: “I was there at the same media briefing. He (Prof. Bandara) said that anybody who was capable of reading the political line would understand what would happen. In fact, he hinted that Basil Rajapaksa would be the next Presidential candidate.”

There were media reports in the past few days that a problematic situation had emerged within the SLPP after Basil Rajapaksa was given a significant welcome at the SLPP's May Day celebrations. The reports claimed that certain SLPP members had raised concerns over Rajapaksa's picture being displayed on the main SLPP banner that had been placed on the stage alongside Mahinda Rajapaksa.

On an earlier occasion, Kariyawasam said that there were several politicians including Basil Rajapaksa, who could be fielded as SLPP's candidate for the upcoming Presidential Election, instead of SLPP backed incumbent President, United National Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Announcing his decision to resign from the SLPP National List MP seat, Basil Rajapaksa, who was also the former Finance Minister, said in June 2022, that he would not take any responsibility for the present economic crisis, but placed the blame squarely on all, including the media and the people who voted the then Government into power. After his resignation as a MP, he left for the United States and returned to Sri Lanka on 20 November 2022, and then left for the States again on 7 May 2023.