• Says he informed Prez of his personal view of P’ment Poll preceding Prez Poll

The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) founder Basil Rajapaksa has informed the Party's Executive Committee that it was his personal opinion that he informed to President Ranil Wickremesinghe that it is best to hold the Parliamentary Election before the Presidential Election, and for the Party to reach a firm decision on the matter following further discussions.

The Executive Committee of the SLPP met at former President and incumbent Government Parliamentarian, attorney Mahinda Rajapaksa's official residence in Colombo on Wednesday (27).

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (28), SLPP General Secretary and Government MP, attorney Sagara Kariyawasam said that Basil Rajapaksa had informed them that it was his (Basil Rajapaksa’s) personal opinion that the Parliamentary Election should be held first. 

“He said that his personal view is that it is better to hold the Parliamentary Election first. He had also informed the President that it was his view, and not that of the Party. During the Executive Committee meeting, he told the Party to discuss further and make a decision on the matter, if needed.”

With the Presidential Election scheduled to be held late this year (2024), it was reported that a faction of the ruling SLPP MPs was of the view that a Parliamentary Election should be held before it. The matter has led to a social discussion as to which election out of the Parliamentary and Presidential Elections would be held first. Certain MPs representing the SLPP have expressed their willingness to go for a Parliamentary Election first, while the main Parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya has also stated that they are ready to face any Election, be it Presidential or Parliamentary, and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led National People's Power has however attributed the talks about a Parliamentary Election to be aimed at suppressing the people's issues.

The Election Commission has meanwhile assured that it would hold the Presidential Election at the due time, late this year, even if a Parliamentary Election will also have to be held this year.

SLPP Parliamentarian Sanjeeva Edirimanna, when contacted, confirmed that this was Basil Rajapaksa’s position on the matter, which has been expressed at the Party’s Executive Committee meeting.