UNP desperate - Anura
 

by Rohan Mathes

Foreign Minister and SLFP Prime Ministerial nominee Anura Bandaranaike reiterates that there is no internal conflict whatsoever within the party on the selection and suitability of their Presidential Nominee Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse.

Addressing the mammoth crowd present to commemorate the party's 54th anniversary at the Race Course Grounds in Colombo yesterday, Minister Bandaranaike said that this Presidential election is unique and decisive for the country. Other major parties such as the JVP and JHU among others have already pledged their support to Mahinda Rajapakse to ensure a definite and landslide victory for him.

Speaking further, he said that the UNP assumed that he and Mahinda would clash on the selection of the Presidential nominee. However, to the contrary, he not only proposed Mahinda Rajapakse, but even insisted that he should be the nominee for this pivotal slot of the President. So the UNP had failed. The UNP then contemplated on a dispute to arise between President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Mahinda. That too did not occur. They are now desperate as all their assumptions have failed miserably.

Former UNP President the late J.R. Jayewardene had stated that he would defeat his opponent by any means at his disposal. We are not of that view.

"I too have made mistakes in my long political career. However, I could challenge anyone on the fact that I have misused my powers. Power is a special privilege bestowed on a person and it should be used with due care and vigilance. The SLFP was founded on great virtues and ideals. My late father, when he was assassinated by a Buddhist monk, he did not spell any vengeance against his assassin, but like Jesus Christ, he pardoned him".

"The Government is blamed for the spiralling cost of living which has been brought about by the increase in the world oil prices. What solution does Ranil Wickremesinghe have for the rising cost of living and the growing unemployment crisis in the country?" Bandaranaike questioned.

During their time, oil prices did not rise, but they did not generate employment, but trimmed the Samurdhi Funds instead", Anura Bandaranaike added.