The Sri Lanka Freedom Bhikku Organisation (SLFBO) has urged former President and Kurunegala district MP Mahinda Rajapaksa to form a separate political party and contest future elections in order to save the SLFP.
“We cannot trust the present SLFP leadership to protect the party due to his acts and words expressed by him, SLFBO Secretary Ven.Watinapaha Somananda Thera said on the 9th.
The January 8 mandate is no longer valid as the people have realised the truth now. If an election is held now,the former President will poll over seven million votes.
Therefore, we request the government to hold the Local Government election as soon as possible, the Thera said, addressing a media briefing in Colombo today.
Ven. Watinapaha Somananda Thera further said that SLFPers at village level and at state institutions have been left destitute by the group of SLFP MPs and Ministers who joined with the government.
“They no longer care about the plight of the disgruntled and victimised SLFP supporters. There is no use of them in the government if they can not look after their own party members. The people will chase them out in a future election,” he said.
Former President Rajapaksa handerd over the SLFP to the present President Sirisena in good faith thinking that the party and it’s members would be protected and strengthened. But the party has already been destroyed while the members are helpless today.
President Sirisena has also forgotten the Bhikkus who have been in the forefront to protect the SLFP from 1952. He also does not listen to the advise of Bhikkus and a number of Bhikkus have been jailed in the recent past. “SLFPers do not want a leader who fulfill the demands of the UNP.
Therefore, a leader who truly loves the party and the country should be elected by calling a Party Convention,” the Thera added.
He said the SLFBO which met recently unanimously approved 10 proposals in order to protect the SLFP.
Among these proposals are protecting Pancha Maha Balawega and the Security Forces, ending revenge politics, ensuring the security of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, preventing economic destruction, frauds and malpractices, not removing Security Forces camps in the North and East, eliminating crime waves, preventing the sale of public properties, rescuing the Maha sanga from the current oppression situation and ending the university student suppression and ensuring the brighter future for them.