SLFP General Secretary and Minister Maithripala Sirisena had stated that family members of the governing party politicians would not be given nominations at the forthcoming provincial council election had been made on a Presidential directive, sources from Temple Trees said.

When the President has asked Sirisena to make a proposal that nominations would not be given to family members of government politicians, the SLFP General Secretary had said it was not practical. Sirisena has said that Polonnaruwa was the only district where there was non nepotism and although he has a son who could contest the election, he would still make the proposal if the President insisted.

The President’s aim was to tarnish Sirisena’s image amongst the SLFP politicians by making him put forward such a proposal. It was aimed to minimize Sirisena’s popularity among the SLFP politicians.

The President’s plan has worked and many governing party politicians are now critical of the SLFP secretary’s comment.

The President has also managed to prevent Sirisena’s son from contesting the forthcoming provincial council election by getting him to make such a comment.

The Temple Trees source who gave us the information said that the President has managed to kill two birds with one stone.

The President after intervening and getting nominations for family members of several governing party members has managed to score points amongst party members.