The President has decided to remove Minister Maithripala Sirisena from the post of SLFP Secretary and to appoint Minister Dullas Alahapperuma to the post instead, reliable sources said.

The President its is learnt is angered by Sirisena’s statement to the media that gave the impression that the President was trying to use the incident involving an attack on the son of a DIG by his son, to ruin his political career.

Sirisena also said that his life was under threat, but refrained from stating from whom he was facing the threat. However, the sentiments expressed by the Minister indicated that he referred to the President.

The President has told several ministers after the SLFP Central Committee meeting last week that he could no longer allow Sirisena to hold the post of SLFP Secretary after hearing the statements. Several members of the President’s personal staff had also participated at the discussion. “I will do the same thing I did to Mangala to him,” the President has said.

We earlier reported that the incident involving Sirisena’s son was given wide media publicity with the President’s knowledge. MP Namal Rajapaksa and Mahinda Illeperuma from the President’s Media Unit had intervened in the matter on a Presidential directive.

The President has personally asked the CEO of Rivira Media Corporation, Gairuka Perusinghe, Rivira Editor Sisira Paranathanthri and Head of the Hiru media network, Raynor Silva to carry out a campaign against Sirisena in the media.

It was Mahinda Illeperuma who had coordinated the matter with the state and some private media. Namal Rajapaksa has also used the help of websites supportive of him to publish articles against Sirisena.