Dissident 'Yovun Peramuna' leaders support Mahinda

by Manjula Fernando

The Secretary of UNP's National Youth Corps Ananda Priyanath called on Sri Lankan youth to rally round premier Mahinda Rajapakse and work to defeat UNP candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe whom they called an inept leader.

Addressing a media conference at the SLFI yesterday, Priyanath said the majority of the Youth corps members were disappointed with the current UNP leadership who they say failed to fulfil a even single one of his promises to the youth during the UNP's two and a half year tenure.

The media conference was held by the Alternative Group of the Youth Corps to express their support to Prime Minister.

The former Secretary claimed that the UNP's people's Manifesto which promises 'an end to hunger, employment on merit and defeat to separatism' was a hoax. "A leader who does not understand hunger cannot promise jobs. He misled the youth earlier and he's trying that again," Priyanath charged.

Citing the Opposition Leader's claim that he will leave the doors of President's House open 24 hours a day, Priyanath recalled that even their youth corps seniors were prevented from entering their party headquarters, Sirikotha, during the time he was the Prime Minister at Temple Trees.

"Not only us even the senior ministers in the Cabinet and deputy ministers were unable to get an appointment to meet the Prime Minister at that time. Who can believe these lies," he questioned.

He called on the youth to be wise, think in the national interest and vote for Rajapakse who is a better leader than Wickremesinghe in every way. "Mahinda has a plan of his own to develop the country. He does not look for Western examples. Mahinda is the only leader who can unite the country."

He said Ranil as the Premier picked the wrong people to advise him as a result of which the party suffered. "Although he refused jobs to ordinary youth blaming it on a zero economy, he was generous enough to his Cambridge Terrace business clan," Vice President of the Youth Corp Samantha Navaratne said.

He said almost three quarters of the Youth corps leaders were with the alternative group want to defeat Ranil at the forthcoming elections so that the party can elect a more competent leader in the future.

Sarasavi Youth Front Secretary Sampath Priyankara and working committee member, Polonnaruwa district, Lalith Ratnasekera also spoke.