UPFA will be finished if it accepts Mahinda

President Maithripala Sirisena is of the view the UPFA will lose votes of the minority communities, the anti-corruption intelligentsia and the youths and will be defeated at the upcoming general election if it accepts his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa into its ranks, says minister Rajitha Senaratne.

Recalling the president’s remarks to UPFA affiliate leaders previously, the minister has told ‘Ravaya’ that it was only at the insistence of Susil Premajayantha and Anura Priyadarshana Yapa that a committee was appointed to unite the duo.

However, that committee is without validity as it was formed on an oral statement, he said.

Commenting on this, Rajapaksa supporter Udaya Gammanpila said six loyalists of the ex-president had been appointed to the committee purely to escape pressure at the moment, and that they did not believe Rajapaksa would be given nominations.