COLOMBO: Sri Lanka`s ruling Freedom Party is in danger of a split as some members unhappy with President Maithripala Sirisena have decided to hold a rally on May 1, independent of their party platform, and invited former president Mahinda Rajapaksa to the event.

The former president had confirmed that he would participate in the `Joint Opposition`s May Day` rally, indicating his readiness to split from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. Rajapaksa was head of the SLFP until he conceded the party leadership to President Sirisena last year weeks after losing the presidency.

Addressing the media recently, the former president said that the members of the joint opposition had invited him to their May Day rally in Colombo.

The former president also claimed that he had not received an invitation from the SLFP to join their May Day rally which will be held in the Southern district of Galle.