Sri Lanka, May 8 -- Colomo, May 8 () - Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) founder Basil Rajapaksa reasserted yesterday that his party still believes the general election should precede the presidential elections but President Ranil Wickremesinghe has a contrasting stand, according to an informed source of the party.

Mr. Rajapaksa addressed the parliamentary group of the party and spelled out his opinion in this regard. Earlier, he met with the President and held talks about the latest political developments.

According to the SLPP, a fair number of its MPs stand for the conduct of the snap general election ahead of the presidential elections scheduled for October, this year in terms of the Constitution. The next parliamentary election is...