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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ibnanv" data-source="post: 17744589" data-attributes="member: 218596"> Beleaguered former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has  agreed to hand over Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)’s reins to the  country’s new leader Maithripala Sirisena, bowing to the demand of party  members after his shock election defeat.Mr.  Sirisena was the general secretary of the SLFP but was expelled from the  party by Mr. Rajapaksa ahead of polls as he broke away from the then  ruling alliance in November to become the challenger in the polls.Mr. Sirisena went on to topple Mr. Rajapaksa and end his decade-long rule in the January 8 polls.After  winning the election, Mr. Sirisena claimed the party leadership even as  Mr. Rajapaksa’s loyalists initially refused to back him, threatening to  split the party.SLFP sources said bowing to the  demand from some of his party members, Mahinda Rajapaksa has agreed to  handover the SLFP leadership to President Sirisena.In another related development, Basil Rajapaksa, the brother of Mahinda, resigned from his post of National Organiser of SLFP.Mr. Basil accepted full responsibility for his brother’s defeat in the presidential elections, a statement said.He led the then ruling coalition UPFA’s election campaign in the run-up to the polls.Mr.  Basil left Colombo immediately after his brother lost the election. He  is currently believed to be in the U.S. on a private visit.During  Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency between 2005 until last week, Mr. Basil  was his powerful political advisor in addition to being the Minister of  Economic Development.Since the election defeat,  Mahinda Rajapaksa has faced a tough time with many of his party members  joining hands with Mr. Sirisena.A complaint has also  been lodged against Mr. Rajapaksa and his family members over graft  claims by the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a key partner of  the new ruling coalition.In the run up to the polls,  Mr. Rajapaksa accused Mr. Sirisena of betrayal for siding with the main  opposition to be their unity candidate.Mr. Sirisena  left the Health Ministry, which he held under Mr. Rajapaksa, and also  the post of SLFP’s general secretary, to become the challenger in the  polls.Citing a party constitution clause that a  member of the party if elected President of the country must be made the  party leader, a section of the party members extended support to Mr.  Sirisena as their leader.Mr. Rajapaksa, who amended  the constitution soon after his victory in 2010 to give himself a record  third term, called the election two years ahead of schedule.</blockquote>

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