( June 6, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The leader of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Mahinda Rajapaksa has decided to appoint the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the SLFP organizer of Colombo district, report party internal sources.
Later on, he is to be elected from the national list to the parliament and appointed as the Minister of Defence and Urban Development, sources added.
In an interview with 'Deshaya' newspaper on Sunday the Defence Secretary had emphasized that he is ready to enter politics at President's discretion.
Though the President had decided to field Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who entered politics as the Kurunegala district coordinator of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa during presidential election in 2005, in the general election from Kurunegala district, he had rejected the particular request.
The majority of Sri Lanka's voters live in Colombo and Gampaha.
Accordingly, the President, who handed over Gampaha district to his brother parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa, has decided to hand over Colombo district to Gotabaya Rajapksa as the President suspects that UPFA bigwigs of Colombo district including A. H. M. Fowzie,Wimal Weerawansa, Champika Ranawaka and Thilanga Sumathipala might back down in the upcoming presidential election.
Another reason for President's decision to introduce Gotabaya Rajapaksa to politics is to secure the government's Sinhala-Buddhist vote base through him in a situation where Jathika Hela Urumaya and National Freedom Front quit the government.
- Sri Lanka Mirror
