Mahinda Rajapaksa had been reluctant to publicly associate with SLPP until Monday. Photo: AFPColombo: Former Sri Lankan leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, who leads a rival faction of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), has blamed his successor—President Maithripala Sirisena—for the breakdown of unity talks between the two sides. We cannot agree to any alliance with the UNP,” Rajapaksa said on Monday, addressing a political rally of his new party—Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)—in the central hill town of Badulla. Rajapaksa backers in the SLPP want the Sirisena-led SLFP to leave the current unity government with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP). The UNP and SLFP formed the unity government in 2015 after Rajapaksa lost to Sirisena in the presidential election.

Source: Mint December 05, 2017 11:15 UTC