Former President Mahinda Rajapakse in an official statement has announced his decision to hand over the Chairmanship of the SLFP to President Maithripala Sirisena.

Rajapaksa says that he reached this decision as he could not bear to look at the party, which he has been a member of for close to half a century and protected while holding various leadership positions, breaking into two.

The statement reads further that it is the responsibility of all those who love the party to maintain the unity of the SLFP, just as they would the motherland.

Mahinda Rajapaksa points out that it is his belief that the attention of all those in the party will turn towards the importance of maintaining internal democracy to ensure that party supporters are protected.

The former president concludes that he will continue to stand for the prayers and aspirations of the more than 5.7 million people who voted for him at the concluded election.

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