SLFP holds 54th annual conference

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 September 2005, 09:17 GMT]
More than 20,000 participated in the 54th Annual conference of Sri Lanka Freedom party (SLFP) which was held Tuesday at Colombo Horse Race Square, political sources in Colombo said. The conference rally started at 12 noon from Colombo Campell Park and marched through the baseline road, via Reed Avenue and reached the meeting venue at 6pm. Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumarathunga and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksha joined the rally at Reed Avenue and walked to Horse Race Square, political sources in Colombo said.

The participants carried blue flags, the picture of Mr Rajapaksha, and shouted slogans carrying the message “Srilanka next president will be Mahinda.”

The General meeting continued till 9 pm. Ms Kumaratunge, Mr Rajapaksa, Ministers Anura Bandaranayaka, Mangala Samaraweera, Mithripala Srisena, SLFP Regional Organisers and Senior SLFP members spoke.

Mr Bandaranayake officially announced Mr Mahinda Rajapakse as the SLFP presidential Candidate. Mr Bandaranayake said that Janatha Vimukthi Peremuna (JVP) and Jathika Hele Urumaya (JHU) have promised to give their support to the SLFP candidate in the presidential elections. "Ceylon workers Congress (CWC) also will support us," he further said.

No senior members of JVP or the JHU participated in this event.

Baseline road in Colombo 7, Maradana, Borella, and Bambalapitiya Dunmulla junctions were closed for the traffic for nearly 6 hours. Reed avenue was closed for the public from 12noon to 9pm.

SLFP supports from outer regions of Colombo were brought in Special busses to participate in the rally.