Former President Maithripala Sirisena has asked Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to take charge of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and withdraw legal battles over his contested leadership, signaling a major shift in the party’s internal power struggle.
In a surprising development in Sri Lankan political circles, former President Maithripala Sirisena has reportedly stepped back from the leadership of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), requesting fellow former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to assume control of the party and lead its revival.
According to sources close to the matter, Sirisena has personally appealed to Kumaratunga to withdraw the legal action filed against him regarding the party’s chairmanship—a position he has held amid fierce internal disputes. The request appears to indicate his willingness to relinquish his contested leadership in favor of restoring party unity.
The SLFP, a once-dominant political force founded by S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, is now entangled in legal battles questioning the legitimacy of Sirisena’s continued role as chairman. Kumaratunga, who held the presidency from 1994 to 2005, is said to have agreed to drop the lawsuits challenging Sirisena’s authority, recognizing that he no longer seeks to retain control over the fractured party.
However, official records with the Election Commission still list Maithripala Sirisena as the party’s chairman, underscoring the need for formal administrative steps to reflect this power shift.
The move has sparked renewed speculation about the future direction of the SLFP as it struggles to regain political relevance. Party insiders view Kumaratunga’s potential return to active leadership as a possible turning point for the SLFP, especially with upcoming elections on the horizon.
