The Sri Lanka Freedom Party has decided to invite former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and other Joint Opposition MPs for the party's May Day rally in Kandy.
The decision was made at the SLFP Central Committee meeting, chaired by President Maithripala Sirisena, on Sunday night.
"The party will invite them for the May Day rally. But, if they take part in other rallies, despite our invitation, they will have to face the repercussions," a party spokesman told Asian Mirror.
He said the party would send letters inviting all its MPs and Provincial Council representatives for the May Day rally, this week.
However, sources close to Rajapaksa said neither the former President nor his group would attend the SLFP May Day rally in Kandy.
They said the Rajapaksa group's stance remained unchanged and they would attend the Joint Opposition's May Day rally at the Gallery Face greenn.
"We do not need to attend the May Day rally of a party that has aligned itself with the UNP. So, we are not in a position to accept the SLFP's invitation," a Parliamentarian supporting Rajapaksa, said today.