He was responding to a question from Sri Lanka Mirror.

He said it would be better to contest from an alliance comprising only the loyalists, as it was far worse to deal with backstabbers, who dug the grave for Mahinda Rajapaksa at the presidential election.

When pointed out to him the remark made by Mahinda Rajapkasa that he would not leave the SLFP, Basil Rajapaksa noted that even the late S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike contested from a different symbol once.

The SLFP today comprises those who work to form a UNP government, he charged, adding that Mahinda Rajapaksa would contest to create a SLFP regime, which is the hope of the true party supporters.