Ranil will be defeated for 13th time - PM

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday expressed confidence that with the support of all progressive forces of the country, Ranil Wickremasinghe will be defeated for the 13th time.

Addressing the massive crowd at the 54th Anniversary celebrations of the SLFP, the Premier pointed out that the UNP was silent until he was appointed the SLFP Presidential candidate. Soon after he was nominated, the UNP resumed a mud-slinging campaign against him, alleging that he was a thief, to tarnish his good image. He recollected his past experience where he was accused of murder in the Mulkirigala by-election and deprived of visiting his mother's funeral from the prison.

He warned that J.R. Jayawardene folded the election map for 10 years and now Ranil Wickremasinghe wants to follow suit and do the same for 15 years, to wipe out democracy from the country. This would be a defeat for the 'Panch Maha Balavegaya', Govi, Weda, Sanga, Kamkaru and Guru", he said.

Rajapakse said that they could not forget the terror and violence unleashed by the UNP during its 17-year rule. President Kumaratunga restored democracy when she came to power in 1994. "We are prepared to go that extra mile and speak to Prabhakaran. This is our Motherland which we will not permit to divide. Our objective is to create an environment where all ethnic communities could live in peace and harmony sans fear and suspicion," he said.

Rajapakse added that President Kumaratunga was still young and the party still needed her vision, advice and guidance in the future too.

Foreign Minister and SLFP Prime Ministerial nominee Anura Bandaranaike and General Secretary of the SLFP and Mahaweli and River Basin Minister Maithripala Sirisena also addressed the gathering.