He has told 'BBC Sandeshaya' that the June 14 statement by the president was quite unexpected.
His having opposed giving nominations to Mahinda Rajapaksa is understandable, but his statement has been made to be advantageous to prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, he said.
There is no democratic obstacle for Rajapaksa to be appointed the PM if a majority of seats were won, said Sumathipala.
Ranatunga condemns
However, Western Province chief minister Prasanna Ranatunga said the president’s remarks were a betrayal of the SLFP and its supporters.
Ranatunga said he strongly condemned the president for the statement, and added that the SLFP seniors and supporters should decide as to whether he was suitable to be their chairman.
He has also gone against the policy of good governance and protected the corrupt by dissolving parliament without allowing a debate on the no-confidence motion against the PM for not having taken steps over the Central Bank bond fraud, said Ranatunga.
