Aug 15, Colombo: The decision of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) on the presidential election will be announced at the party's 68th annual convention on September 3, said General Secretary of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) parliamentarian Mahinda Amaraweera today.

Addressing a press conference held at the SLFP headquarters in Darley Road, Colombo today, Amaraweera said that the party has formulated a plan to develop the country and move forward and will support a candidate who will support the plan.

The MP said that currently talks are in progress with the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) about the SLFP plan and the party will not be allowed dissolved into another party

The SLFP's 68th anniversary convention will be held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on September 3 and the President and SLFP leader Maithripala Sirisena is due to express his views on the party's future plans at the convention.

Amaraweera said that for the SLFP it does not matter who the candidate is but who would uphold the party's policies and everything is being done while protecting the party identity

Responding to a question on Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa's membership in the SLFP after assuming the leadership in SLFP, the UPFA General Secretary said although there is an issue regarding the loss of his party membership as well as the position of the opposition leader, the SLFP at this time should not take a decision that would hamper talks between the two parties. He said the Central Committee will discuss the issue when it meets next week.

The General Secretary said it is regrettable that Mahinda Rajapaksa, who obtained the Presidency and many other things from the SLFP, became a member of another party.

He said that the SLFP Central Committee has not yet taken a decision to support Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and the Central Committee has decided that a Presidential candidate should be fielded from the party.