President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Chairman of SLFP, has appointed "toy pistol mayor" Eraj Ravindra Fernando as the SLFP Chief Organizer of Beliatta Electorate.

The controversial Mayor was infamous for the “toy pistol” incident where he threatened a group of UNP fact-finding MPs during the administration of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. In December 2014, he was once more involved in an attack on a group of artistes campaigning for the then common candidate Maithripala Sirisena.

In April 2015, Fernando was arrested for another incident, where he allegedly stormed into the Ambalantota Police Station in March 2014 and attempted to attack and kidnap a suspect under police custody.

This is not the first time Sirisena appointed controversial figures as SLFP electorate organizers. Earlier this year, Kamal Indika was appointed as SLFP Organizer of Hiriyala. Indika was responsible for the attack on the 'Aluth Parapura' artiste group which supported Sirisena during the Presidential Election.

Incidentally, Beliatta is the electorate from which former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected to Parliament in 1970.