Political tensions between the ruling party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and coalition partner Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) have escalated and the SLFP is already preparing to contest the forthcoming provincial council elections separately, Lankadeepa reported according to political sources.
It is reported that the SLFP has already commenced interviews to fill the vacancies for Electoral Organizers and District Organizers and interviews have been held at the party headquarters throughout the last week.
In the past, many in the party have accused the government of ignoring their party and due to this, Cabinet Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, a senior Vice President of the party, has recently informed the Local Government members of the party to take a decision of their choice in the budget voting of the local government bodies.
Meanwhile, SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara said in parliament last week that some government ministers and MPs were carrying out mudslinging attacks targeting party chairman former President Maithripala Sirisena.
Political analysts point out that the recent clash in Parliament between former President Maithripala Sirisena and Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, a strongman of the SLPP, was the culmination of a political rift between the two parties.