Sri Lanka's main left party, the People's Liberation Front (JVP), said Monday that they are willing to extend conditional support to the ruling party's presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapakse.

Wimal Weerawansa, the JVP's Propaganda Secretary, was quoted as saying by the state radio that the party's politburo and the central committee had considered an open invitation by Rajapakse to join him in the election to be held later this year.

Weerawansa said that the party would hold discussions with Rajapakse with a view to extending conditional support.

If no agreement could be reached the JVP would be fielding its won candidate.

Rajapakse, the Prime Minister, had wooed the JVP who left the ruling coalition mid June over differences with President Chandrika Kumaratunga on the tsunmai deal with the Tigers.

Weerawansa told reporters that their support to Rajapakse would not mean that the JVP will return to the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) coalition.

Although Weerawansa did not spell out the conditions they are believed to be about the peace negotiations with the Tamil Tigers, a joint deal entered by Kumaratunga with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on Tsunami relief co-ordination to Tamil regions.

The date for the presidential election is yet to be announced despite a court ruling last Friday that the election must be held before end of this year.

Source: Xinhua