All former Provincial Council members and Local Government members of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna have unanimously decided not to support President Maithripala Sirisena at the next Presidential election. 

"Former Provincial Councillors unanimously decide not to support Maithripala Sirisena as the next Presidential Candidate," Media Spokesman of former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and a Colombo Municipal Councillor Milinda Rajapaksha tweeted, a short while ago. 

Meanwhile, UPFA MP Kanchana Jayaratne, after a meeting with SLPP representatives yesterday, said the SLPP LG members would also refrain from supporting Sirisena at the next Presidential election. 

However, President Sirisena held a meeting with SLFP electorate and district organizers yesterday about the party's plans for future elections. At the meeting, the SLFP representatives decided to contest the future election as a common alliance with the SLPP. 

Contrary to the SLPP's decision, SLFP Senior Vice Chairman Nimal Siripala de Silva said President Maithripala Sirisena was the only candidate who could pose a serious threat to the UNP's candidate at the next Presidential election. 

Addressing a press conference in Colombo, de Silva said all political parties working with the SLFP, including the SLPP led by the Rajapaksa group, would support the presidential candidate. 

De Silva also added that Rajapaksa had raised no objections to the Presidential candidacy of Maithripala Sirisena.