The General Secretary of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA,) Susil Premajayanatha said that Maithripala Sirisena would not be able to stop a majority party decision to appoint Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister.
Responding to a statement by Sri Lanka’s president that pledged to not allow Mahinda Rajapaksa to become prime minister,
Speaking at a news conference with other senior members of the UPFA and the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Mr Premajayantha said,
“If the majority of the UPFA, that is two-thirds of the UPFA, supports the move of Rajapaksa being the Prime Minister, then the President has to adhere to the majority’s opinion.”
Another senior member of the UPFA, Kumara Welgama, expressing similar sentiment at the press brief, said,
“The president said he would appoint other party seniors as the Premier if the UPFA wins. We are all party seniors. If all party seniors agree that Rajapaksa must be appointed, then the President has to agree to it as well.”