2ND LEAD (CORRECTION)

Kumaratunge to be made lifetime President of SLFP

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 September 2005, 17:08 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge who arrived Saturday morning after five day official visit to China is to preside over the emergency meeting of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party's (SLFP) policy making central committee Sunday evening amid speculation that she is likely to dissolve parliament and call for general election in addition to presidential election as directed by the Supreme Court, political sources said.

Meanwhile, the 54th annual general convention of the SLFP will be held on Tuesday to endorse the presidential candidature of Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse, incumbent Prime Minister, and Mr.Anura Bandaranaike as the prime ministerial candidate, sources said.

Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge is to be made lifetime president of the party at the annual convention, party sources said.

In the meantime, a committee headed by Cabinet spokesman and Minister Mr.Nimal Sripala de Silva is preparing the SLFP manifesto for the forthcoming presidential election. The manifesto is to be released after the nomination date is announced by the Commissioner of Elections, sources said.