State intelligence had reported to the president that Rajapaksa loyalists were trying to summon the party’s central committee, bring in a proposal that he had violated party discipline and remove him as its chairman.
He cancelled a CC meeting called for tomorrow purportedly to act against the five, alleging they had violated party discipline.
The president has informed the party’s top officials that there was no need now to call the meeting as Rajitha Senaratne, S.B. Nawinna, M.K.D.S. Gunawarena, Arjuna Ranatunga and Hirunika Premachandra have been barred from the party.
President’s decision is legal
Commenting on the decision, vice president of the SLFP Dilan Perera said the president’s move was legal, as the party constitution allows the chairman to remove members.
Had the party’s CC taken the decision, it would have been more democratic, he said, adding that the proposal would have been sanctioned by 90 per cent of CC members, had it been submitted.
