SL polls: 15 parties ink MoU to back Gotabaya

Fifteen political have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to back Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa for the November 16 presidential election.

The MoU was signed at Rajapaksa's office in Mirihana on Monday in front of representatives of all 15 political parties.

Monday's development comes after the Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance (SLPFA) was formed on November 1 with the participation of 17 political parties to back Rajapaksa.

So far 41 political parties have signed MoUs with the SLPP to pledged support for Rajapaksa.

A total of a record 35 candidates are in the fray for the island nation's eighth presidential election, with incumbent President Maithripala Sirisena's term coming to an end in January 2020.