The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Party is divided regarding the fielding of a candidate for the upcoming Presidential Election.

SLPP Parliamentarian and Chief Government Whip, Minister Prasanna Ranatunga had allegedly told the media that no candidate from the SLPP would likely contest for the Presidential Election.

However, differing from his statement, SLPP General Secretary and Government MP, attorney Sagara Kariyawasam, when contacted by The Daily Morning, said that the SLPP is of the view that they must field a candidate for the Presidential Election. “The majority of our Party is of the opinion that we must field a candidate,” he said. On an earlier occasion, he said that they were considering several candidates including businessman and Government MP Dhammika Perera to be fielded for the Presidential Election.

SLPP Leader, former President and incumbent Government MP, attorney Mahinda Rajapaksa also said recently that there is a possibility that there would be no candidate representing the SLPP for the Presidential Election. “We are currently re-organising the Party. We will have to look at the grassroots level and consider the most asked-for candidate. We have not decided on the matter yet. A candidate may or may not contest from the SLPP.”

With the Presidential Election scheduled to be held this year (2024), several mainstream political Parties such as the main Parliamentary Opposition Party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), the United National Party (UNP) of the Government, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People's Power (NPP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), both of the Opposition, have revealed their plans for the same. However, the SLPP has, in recent times, been maintaining the stance that they would not be in a hurry to make the related decisions, and would do so in consideration of future developments. The possible candidates who will be running for the Presidential Election include incumbent President and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, JVP and NPP Leader and Opposition MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and SLFP Chairman, former President, and incumbent Opposition MP Maithripala Sirisena.