Rajapakse, Bandaranayake meet to reconcile

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 February 2007, 01:40 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse and Anura Bandaranayake, one of three ministers sacked last week met Wednesday at Temple Trees and talked for about two hours regarding the current political situation. They explored ways to diffuse the tension in the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) following the dismissal of three ministers.



Alavi Moulana, Western Province Governor and Minister Dinesh Gunawardene participated in the discussion.

Alavi Moulana and Dinesh Gunawardene met Mr.Rajapakse on his return from Maldives Wednesday morning and are reported to have told him to resolve the differences with Anura Bandaranayake, only son of the founder of the SLFP S.W.R.D.Bandaranayake.

Later Wednesday Anura Bandaranayake met Mr.Rajapakse at the latter's invitation, according to Colombo media sources.

Anura Bandaranaike later said the differences between him and Mahinda Rajapakse have been resolved in the interest of the island, private electronic media said in its Wednesday night news broadcast quoting Anura Bandaranaike.

Meanwhile, speculation is rife in political circles that Anura Bandaranaike is to be re-appointed as a cabinet rank minister Thursday or Friday. He is likely to be given an important portfolio in addition to Ministry of National Heritage, private electronic media reported.

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