In a major development, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party has now been divided into two factions.

While one faction has decided to support President Maithripala Sirisena, the other faction has chosen former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Chairman of the party.

General Secretary of the Rajapaksa faction of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said 42 members of the Central Committee, who gathered at Darley Road headquarters of the SLFP, re-appointed President Rajapaksa as the Chairman of the party.

However, the group supporting President Maithripala Sirisen said the Central Committee meeting which took place at the party headquarters was unconstitutional as they did not have the majority support of the CC. The SLFP Central Committee comprises of 55 members and both parties claim that they have the majority support in the party’s topmost decision making body.

The headquarters of the party and its assets are still under the purview of Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, who is the General Secretary of the Rajapaksa faction of the party. The Rajapaksa faction also stated that the “alleged” Central Committee meeting which took place at the residence of President Maithripala Sirisena was illegitimate.

The Rajapaksa faction of the party held a press conference at the party headquarters this evening with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the chair.

It looks as if the problem involving the “real authority” of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party is likely to end up in courts.