Rajapaksa’s intention of luring ex-local government members to form a new party was in order to halt the police probes and court action against him, the president has said.

He was responding to SLFP seniors who told him that Rajapaksa was even prepared to retire from politics if he agreed to that.

The president said it would be better for him to leave his position rather than disrupting the process, as he had come to power with a promise to bring the wrongdoers in the Rajapaksa regime to book.

Agreeing with his decision, SLFP seniors who met in Colombo on February 17 decided to support him, even if that results in a division of the party.

Commenting on this, the spokesman said Rajapaksa’s intention would render the ex-LG members helpless.

Most of these members are accused of corruption and fraud that had taken place in their areas, and all will suffer the same sorry fate, he said.

Meanwhile, the president has agreed to meet SLFP MPs in the joint opposition next week, Ravaya reports.