Warm welcome in House for Presidential candidates
 

BY Bharatha Malawaraarachchi and Ranil Wijayapala

THE Presidential candidates in the forthcoming election, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe were given a warm welcome by their Parliamentary colleagues yesterday as Chief Government Whip Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle conveyed the Supreme Court decision to Parliament.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse who entered the Chamber at the time Fernandopulle conveyed the Supreme Court decision was accorded a warm welcome by his colleagues thumping on the desks.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Presidential candidate of the United National Party was also accorded a warm welcome by his colleagues when he entered the chamber after Prime Minister Rajapakse.

Fernandopulle conveyed the Supreme Court decision to the House, when sittings were resumed at 11.05 a.m. after 10 minutes suspension following a controversy over the Ceylon Transport Board Bill.

The sittings were suspended at 10.40 a.m. by Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara as party leaders protested that they have not been provided with a copy of the Central Transport Board Bill before the commencement of the debate.

Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle conveyed his congratulations to Prime Minister Rajapakse. UNP Deputy Leader and Gampaha District MP Karu Jayasuriya who is also nominated as Prime Ministerial candidate of the UNP rose to his feet after Minister Fernandopulle, to offer their special thanks to Ven. Omalpe Sobhitha Thera of the Jathika Hela Urumaya for taking the issue regarding the Presidential Election before the Supreme Court.

"We consider the Supreme Court decision as a victory gained by the Sri Lankans and a victory of all democratic movements," Jayasuriya added.

Jayasuriya mentioned that the UNP made a great effort to obtain this decision after organising Jana Bala Meheyuma and by taking two million signatures to a petition urging the Elections Commissioner to hold the election this year.

Leader of the House and Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva rising to his feet said that the Jana Bala Meheyuma and petition of the UNP did not contribute at all to the decision of the Supreme Court.

"The UNP refrained from going before the Supreme Court. It was the Jathika Hela Urumaya which went before the Supreme Court to obtain this decision," Minister Siripala de Silva added.

"It is not our method to stone the houses of judges like the UNP. We bow our heads to any judgement by the Supreme Court in accordance with the Constitution. We will abide by the Supreme Court decision. We will make Mahinda Rajapakse, the President of this country," he added.

Irrigation, River Basin Development and Rajarata Development Minister Maitripala Sirisena also said that Rajapakse will definitely be the President.