Dispute over SLPP - SLFP symbol for elections

COLOMBO (News 1st):- Parliamentarians of both the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Sri Lanka Podu Jana Peramuna (SLPP) commented on the ongoing discussions between the two parties on forming a new alliance. UPFA MP Shehan Semasinghe says that Dayasiri Jayasekara wants to do something that even the President himself does not want. He claims that he has no idea if he's (Dayasiri Jayasekara) looking to be the Presidential candidate since Dayasiri has made several statements and done various things of such nature when the discussions are still ongoing. General Secretary of the SLFP, Dayasiri Jayasekara says that speaking on behalf of the party he would say that whenever there is an alliance that the main party did not go with its symbol. He further says that they could select any symbol other than the flower bud because the Pohottuwa members cannot ask for votes from the SLFP voters under the same symbol. Dayasiri notes that due to this reason they should come up with another symbol for the alliance and proposed the betel leaf because the Muslim and Tamil voters prefer it. He adds that if it does not work that way even that they will have to contest separately under the SLFP banner. UPFA MP Bandula Gunawardene says that the people of this country accepted the flower bud amidst various criticism and insults and said that from Point Pedro to Point Dondra that this symbol received a massive 81,000 votes from the people of Homagama. He firmly added that although they request to go with another symbol that he or anyone will not agree to go with another symbol instead of the flower bud symbol that gained 51,000 - 81,000 votes.