Colombo (News1st): A conference was held in Anuradhapura today (Feb 1) in line with the program initiated to reform the Sri Lanka Freedom party.

National Organizer of Sri Lanka Freedom party MP Duminda Dissanayake nominated Maithripala Sirisena as the SLFP candidate for the next presidential election at the conference. Former Minister Tissa Karalliyadde seconded this proposal.

Senior Deputy Chairman of the SLFP Nimal Siripala De Silva said that if someone asks him who the presidential candidate is he would say they would look into it when the time comes, he noted that the media attempts to pit them against each other. He described all this as a political ploy to distract the general public.

General Secretary of the SLFP Dayasiri Jayasekara said American soldiers have arrived at the Katunayake Airport and one of their naval bases is to be established in Trincomalee. He said they are trying to join the North and the East to strengthen a separate Indo-American section.

Jayasekara pointed that this issue began after the Hambantota port was given to China and Ranil Wickremesinghe who gave the Hambanthota port to China is trying to give away the North to India or America. He added that the Colombo jetty is to be given to Japan and Ranil Wickremesinghe has begun a program to sell off all national assets.