Every Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) activity in the Kelaniya electorate should be conducted through the electoral organizer, Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa said. This includes all activities including development projects, he said.

Only the President has authority to remove or take disciplinary action against an electoral organizer, Minister Rajapaksa said today (23) declaring open the Kelaniya Electoral Coordination Office of Kelaniya SLFP Organizer and Minister Mervyn Silva.

He emphasized that neither the SLFP central committee nor any other institution has the ability to take action against an electoral organizer.

While stateing that Minister Mervyn Silva would therefore continue as the organizer of the Kelaniya electorate in the future, Basil Rajapaksa asserted that the remaining party activists should proceed according to the his consent.

He further stressed that if there are any accusations or issues against electoral organizers, MPs or Ministers of the party, they should be resolved within the party itself.  

Pointing out that certain foreign powers are operating to topple the current government, Rajapaksa vowed that none of these external forces will be allowed to do so.

He however noted that the actions of certain MPs and Ministers of the party would cause the government to topple, and therefore advised them to be more responsible and intelligent regarding what they do or say.

Several government MPs, Ministers and several Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha members had participated in the opening ceremony today, Ada Derana reporter said.

General Secretary of the SLFP Minister Maithripala Sirisena had recently stated that disciplinary action would be taken against Mervyn Silva, who has been charged with corruption and extortion by Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha chairman Prasanna Ranaweera, deputy chairman Chaminda Duminda and PC members Lanka Vijitha Kumara, Hasitha Kelum Madawala and Milroy Perera.

The Public Relations and Public Affairs Minister however had branded the accusations as nonsense and even went on to declare that no one could touch him as long as Mahinda Rajapaksa was President and the Rajapaksas were in power.

Party sources later told Ada Derana President Rajapaksa had requested SLFP General Secretary, Minister Sirisena to call upon Minister Mervyn Silva demanding an explanation regarding his statement.

Minister Silva’s recent comments on several Sri Lankan journalists and activists, who he accused of ‘giving evidence against Sri Lanka’ and threatened to break their limbs in public, were also met with criticism from the opposition and international media.

Hewa Koparage Mervyn Silva entered politics by joining the Sri Lanka Freedom Party in Hambantota District but later joined the United National Party.  At the 1994 parliamentary election Silva was elected to represent Hambantota District for the UNP but he later rejoined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.