Ranil power hungry - Tyronne

"Ranil Wickremesinghe's arbitrary, dictatorial and short-sighted decisions were always criticised by me, even when I was in the UNP for 27 years. He did not like my urging him to work closely with a twice elected President to solve the LTTE problem.

He always said he must have total power. If he was really concerned about the minorities, he should have got together with President Chandrika in mid-2000 or early 2004 when the doors were open. His talk now of the two parties getting together if he has total power is only an opportunistic dream," Tyronne Fernando, former UNP Foreign Minister and MP for Moratuwa for 27 years said at UPFA rally at Moratuwa Veera Puran Appu Park in support of PM Mahinda Rajapakse.

Fernando, now NE Governor added: "Can you rely on Ranil's word? On this very platform he promised to send me to Parliament from the UNP National List 1 1/2 years ago. He not only let me down but also the Moratuwa voters who had sent me to Parliament by their vote for 27 years. He also let down the minority Christians whom I was representing on the National List."

"How will Ranil treat ordinary people? I appeal to the 40,000 Moratuwa voters who voted for me to vote for Mahinda Rajapakse as a protest vote. After Ranil's defeat, the UNP will have a chance to build for the future with a honest and dynamic leader," he said.