The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Party is ready to welcome the Chairman of the main Parliamentary Opposition Party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), and Parliamentarian, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, if he is ready to work with its policies, claimed SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa.

Speaking to the media, Rajapaksa claimed that the SLPP has no issue in welcoming him to the party as they are ready to work with any of its opponents for the betterment of the country. He also noted that the SLPP decided to support President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has been the main rival of the Rajapaksa family-led SLPP camp, despite all the political and policy differences, and that therefore, in such a context, Fonseka could also be welcomed if he is ready to follow the SLPP’s policies. He further stated that Fonseka had been a long-term friend of former President and incumbent Government MP, attorney Mahinda Rajapaksa and supported him to end the civil war. “If we can welcome President Wickremesinghe, who was our major opponent for decades, why can’t we welcome Fonseka, who worked together with the former President to end the war? He is always welcome if he is ready to work with the SLPP,” he claimed.

Last week, a court issued an injunction preventing the SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and several other senior SJB officials from suspending Fonseka from his party positions. According to Fonseka, certain SJB members have made a number of remarks recently that seem to suggest that his membership in the party would be eliminated. Fonseka publicly criticised the decision by Premadasa to grant former Army Commander, General Daya Ratnayake SJB membership.