Lanka Sama Samaja Party has terminated the membership of six of its leading members including three Central Committee members and three Politburo members.

The six members include Western Provincial Councilor from Kalutara District Keerthi Kariyawasam, Wimal Rodrigo and D.M.D, Abeyratne who are Politburo members and Dr. Jayampathi Wickremaratne, Lal Wijenayake and Sameera Perera who are Central Committee members.

The reason for the dismissal from the party is their decision to support common candidate Maithripala Sirisena and sign the Memorandum of Understanding with him.

D.M.D. Abeyratne has told BBC Sandeshaya that the decision to terminate the membership of the six leaders was taken at a Politburo Meeting at the suggestion of LSSP leader Prof. Tissa Vitharana on Tuesday.

He has also said that 24 Central Committee members had supported President Mahinda Rajapaksa and 13 had opposed.

Furthermore, Abeyratne has said that they do not intend to join a different political party but will work to take the common candidate to victory.

Earlier, a serious division had occurred in the other left-wing party in the UPFA, the Sri Lanka Communist Party, over the question of the executive presidency.