Conspirators removed to prevent crisis: SLFP General Secretary

W. T. J. S. Kaviratne, Ambalangoda special corr.

AMBALANGODA:SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena said if those who recently conspired within the party were not removed, there would have been a political crisis affecting the masses.

Sirisena, who is also the Agriculture and Mahaweli Development Minister, delivering the keynote address at the SLFP's annual convention in Ambalangoda during the weekend, said the recent political conspiracy against President Mahinda Rajapaksa was similar to the conspiracy against the late Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike.

"The Late Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike during his tenure of office had to face numerous challenges, troubles and tribulations created by some members of SLFP who helped him to come to power. This power hungry vicious circle of SLFP members were not satisfied with the mental agony caused to the late Prime Minister. They even resorted to assassinate him finally," the General Secretary said.

Sirisena said the Government was very stable at this juncture and it was not in a hurry to hold an election.

"The present Government comprises representatives of all the communities," he said.

"If the UNP is keen on a general election, we are ready to defeat the UNP and its Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe consecutively for the 15th time," the General Secretary said.

Sirisena said during the short period under Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister, the LTTE was provided ample opportunities to infiltrate into all the provinces of the country.

It is only under President Rajapaksa the LTTE experienced numerous defeats, he said.