COLOMBO, Sri Lanka's powerful Rajapaksa clan, which faced a political blow in 2022 due to the country's worst economic crisis, will launch its bid to make a comeback in politics on Sunday, targeting the imminent elections.
Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa were ousted from power in 2022 during anti-government protests following a catastrophic financial and political crisis.
Rajapaksa's ruling Sri Lanka People's Front, commonly known by its Sinhala name Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), will hold a public rally in the north central rural town of Thalawa later in the day, party member and former minister SM Chandrasena said. Told the reporters.
He said Mahinda Rajapaksa will inaugurate the rally, which is aimed at preparing the party at the grassroots level for major elections - presidential or parliamentary elections.
Chandrasena said, “We will start our campaign to prepare the party for the first elections.,
According to the Election Act, presidential elections must be held before parliamentary elections. The next parliamentary elections are not scheduled to take place before August 2025.
On Wednesday, President Ranil Wickremesinghe reiterated his intention to hold presidential elections this year before parliamentary elections.
However, the SLPP wants parliamentary elections earlier than the scheduled 2022 date.
Earlier this month, the Election Commission had said that the presidential election would be held between September 17 and October 16.The SLPP has not yet announced its candidate, while the two major opposition camps have already announced their presidential candidates.
The SLPP went into hiding after massive street protests broke out in early 2022, leading to the resignation of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The SLPP was forced to choose arch rival Wickremesinghe to balance Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
An angry mob killed a SLPP MP. Properties of about 100 other senior party leaders were set on fire in public outrage over the government's inability to deal with the economic crisis.
Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa were ousted from power in 2022 during anti-government protests following a catastrophic financial and political crisis.
Rajapaksa's ruling Sri Lanka People's Front, commonly known by its Sinhala name Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), will hold a public rally in the north central rural town of Thalawa later in the day, party member and former minister SM Chandrasena said. Told the reporters.
He said Mahinda Rajapaksa will inaugurate the rally, which is aimed at preparing the party at the grassroots level for major elections - presidential or parliamentary elections.
Chandrasena said, “We will start our campaign to prepare the party for the first elections.,
According to the Election Act, presidential elections must be held before parliamentary elections. The next parliamentary elections are not scheduled to take place before August 2025.
On Wednesday, President Ranil Wickremesinghe reiterated his intention to hold presidential elections this year before parliamentary elections.
However, the SLPP wants parliamentary elections earlier than the scheduled 2022 date.
Earlier this month, the Election Commission had said that the presidential election would be held between September 17 and October 16.The SLPP has not yet announced its candidate, while the two major opposition camps have already announced their presidential candidates.
The SLPP went into hiding after massive street protests broke out in early 2022, leading to the resignation of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The SLPP was forced to choose arch rival Wickremesinghe to balance Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
An angry mob killed a SLPP MP. Properties of about 100 other senior party leaders were set on fire in public outrage over the government's inability to deal with the economic crisis.
