April 29, Colombo (LNW): In a bid to proactively address potential tensions with India, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) faction, led by Nimal Siripala de Silva as acting chairman, recently met with Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha.
The purpose of the meeting was to officially distance themselves from remarks attributed to their former Chairman, Maithripala Sirisena, regarding alleged Indian involvement in the Easter Sunday attacks, Daily Mirror reported citing a reliable source.
Media reports previously circulated claims of Sirisena implicating India in the attacks during his statement to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Sirisena’s recent controversial statements, suggesting knowledge of the masterminds behind the Easter Sunday carnage, have added complexity to the party’s internal dynamics.
However, Public Security Minister Tiran Alles clarified in Parliament last week that the former President did not specifically name any Sri Lankan or Sri Lankan organisation in his CID statement.
Presently, the SLFP is grappling with internal divisions, with Sirisena restrained from acting as party chairman due to a legal injunction.
Representatives of the faction opposed to Sirisena, including MPs Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Duminda Dissanayake, Suren Raghavan, and Faizer Mustapha, met with the Indian envoy to assert their disavowal of the ex-President’s purported claims and stress the importance of maintaining cordial relations with India.
The SLFP is currently embroiled in a legal dispute with a faction led by Minister Siripala de Silva and former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, who seek to wrest control of the party by sidelining Sirisena.
