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'We must accept them, but we should not embrace them': Basil proposes SLFP is kept at distance 

Basil Rajapaksa, the National Organizer of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) announced that those who left the party during the Yahapalana government would be welcomed back to the party but would be held at a political distance, as parliamentary polls closed earlier today. 

His statement was in reference to members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) who returned and formed a coalition with the SLPP to contest the General Elections on the SLPP ticket. The alliance has been seen as a uniting of former political rivals under a new Sinhala coalition, which was set to dominate the polls. 

“Some people left us saying that there was some cow dung in our milk container and jumped into a sewage tank.,” Rajapaksa told reporters. “Now they have climbed out of the tank and returned to us. When they come back, we must accept them, but we should not embrace them. We all know what would happen if we embrace a person who is smeared in sewage.”

The party is under pressure because SLPP candidates are engaged in a fight for the preference vote with SLFP candidates. 

Last week, SLFP office bearers threatened to take legal action against SLPP members who attacked them on political platforms. 

"The SLFP is being belittled in the harshest way possible,” said former MP, Dayasiri Jayasekara, in March. “They are not criticizing the UNP. Only the SLFP. The SLFP and Mr. Maithripala Sirisena. We find no problem if Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa or Mr. Basil Rajapaksa criticized us. But this is being done by those who are below the level. They are doing it day and night.”

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