By Buddhika SamaraweeraLocal government representatives of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) have made a request to former President and incumbent Parliamentarian Maithripala Sirisena to contest for the Presidential Election to be held in 2024. According to him, the request had been made by SLFP Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) members in the area, and electoral organisers. However, when asked if Sirisena has responded to the request they made, Gunasinghe said that the former has not yet commented on the matter. Following the Presidential election held on 8 January 2015, Sirisena was sworn in as the sixth Executive President before Supreme Court judge K. Sripavan at the Independence Square Colombo on 9 January 2015. After assuming the Presidency, he became the SLFP Chairman, and instead of contesting the 2019 Presidential Election, the SLFP led by Sirisena backed the current President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Source: The Nation August 01, 2021 18:33 UTC