The Prelate was delivering an Anusasana when the newly appointing SLFP acting General Secretary, Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara called on him at his temple in Kandy and received his blessings on January 6 morning.Jayasekara also called on the Asgiriya Prelate at his temple and received his blessings.
The Malwatte Mahanayake Thera said late Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike set up the SLFP as a common man’s party and it was the duty of all party members to protect it and strengthen it by getting dissidents to rejoin it. Therefore, the challenge before Jayasekara would be formidable because there was suspicion whether those who broke away and formed a new party would return to the SLFP fold.
The Prelate said that eventhough the there was a possibility of SLFP Parliamentarians working in league with the new party, without joining it, re-grouping with the SLFP or getting others who formed the new party into the SLFP fold would be a great challenge.
Dayasiri Jayasekara said in reply that he would try to get those who left the SLFP to rejoin it on one hand and form a joint front with other parties. He said President Sirisena appointed him as acting General Secretary with full confidence in him and the SLFP Central Committee unanimously approved his appointment.
Jayasekara said earlier too people who broke away from the SLFP had re-joined it and it was in this manner that Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge was able to be elected as President of the country. Similarly, he hoped that all splinter groups and individuals would region the SLFP in the future.North Central Province Governor Sarath Ekanayake was also present on the occasion.