Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara stated that he has the necessary qualifications to lead his party but emphasised that the final decision on appointing a party leader should rest with the party’s Executive Council.
Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday (24), Jayasekara said the party should choose a leader who enjoys public acceptance. He highlighted that his political career began with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and that his long-standing service as an active member gives him the legitimacy to seek the leadership.
He added that there is no need to rush the leadership selection process, stressing that it is more important to appoint someone capable of rebuilding the party from the grassroots level.
Recalling the tenure of Chandrika Kumaratunga, Jayasekara noted that she led the party amid widespread opposition and initiated the rebuilding of a party that had been weakened for 17 years, starting from the grassroots. He observed that the SLFP began to lose direction after 2019 and now requires restructuring and strengthening once again.
Jayasekara further remarked that a political party cannot be sustained merely by holding the party symbol, controlling the headquarters, or managing the Executive Council. Instead, collective effort is essential to build a party capable of providing leadership to the country.
Emphasising the need for renewal, he stated that no one can remain in leadership positions indefinitely by relying on seniority alone. He underscored the importance of allowing new talent to emerge within all political parties and expressed his own readiness to uphold that principle.
He added that when it becomes clear that the public no longer accepts him, he would step aside, noting that clinging to party leadership by force only erodes public support. Jayasekara stressed that political leaders must be prepared to leave at the appropriate time for the greater good of the party and the country.
