Quashing speculation that she might relinquish the leadership of her Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), former President Chandrika Kumaratunga is reported to be actively heading the party’s local government election campaign.
Incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who reportedly wants control of the party, and his predecessor held discussions at the Temple Trees recently about a possible change in the SLFP leadership.
The local Daily Mirror newspaper reported that the discussion went on for nearly four and half hours, forcing President Rajapaksa to skip the Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Secretariat.
The party leadership, now held by Ms Kumaratunga has become a controversial issue with local council elections on the cards and with Ministers pulling in different directions.
“Ms Kumaratunga had clearly asked President Rajapaksa whether he really aspired for the party leadership and an apparently surprised President replied that he had not yet thought about it seriously,” the paper reported.
However in the course of the discussion Rajapakse indicated to Kumaratunga it would be better to have the party leadership under him as this would “streamline the process of coordinating the party with the work of the Presidency and the government,” the paper added.
He pointed out cases in other countries where leadership of the party was with the President and said it was so even in the main opposition United National Party, the paper reported.
The Rajapakse said there were pressure groups in the SLFP urging him to take over the party leadership because it would help strengthen the party and maintain more discipline, the paper said.
But the discussion ended without any decision on a change in the party leadership.
Subsequent to that meeting, Ms Kumaratunga had allegedly spoken to party members in the Gampaha District on tactics for the polls. At the meeting, she reportedly said she could go to all the SLFP party committees in the country and get signatures from the grassroots party officials who would back her despite a proposal to confer the party leadership on President Rajapakse.
Incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who reportedly wants control of the party, and his predecessor held discussions at the Temple Trees recently about a possible change in the SLFP leadership.
The local Daily Mirror newspaper reported that the discussion went on for nearly four and half hours, forcing President Rajapaksa to skip the Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Secretariat.
The party leadership, now held by Ms Kumaratunga has become a controversial issue with local council elections on the cards and with Ministers pulling in different directions.
“Ms Kumaratunga had clearly asked President Rajapaksa whether he really aspired for the party leadership and an apparently surprised President replied that he had not yet thought about it seriously,” the paper reported.
However in the course of the discussion Rajapakse indicated to Kumaratunga it would be better to have the party leadership under him as this would “streamline the process of coordinating the party with the work of the Presidency and the government,” the paper added.
He pointed out cases in other countries where leadership of the party was with the President and said it was so even in the main opposition United National Party, the paper reported.
The Rajapakse said there were pressure groups in the SLFP urging him to take over the party leadership because it would help strengthen the party and maintain more discipline, the paper said.
But the discussion ended without any decision on a change in the party leadership.
Subsequent to that meeting, Ms Kumaratunga had allegedly spoken to party members in the Gampaha District on tactics for the polls. At the meeting, she reportedly said she could go to all the SLFP party committees in the country and get signatures from the grassroots party officials who would back her despite a proposal to confer the party leadership on President Rajapakse.
