Govt. ready for any election

MEEGAHAKIVULA: The Government is ready to face a general election at any time and it was confident of re-election with a sweeping majority, said Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva.

The Minister was speaking after opening the Meegahakivula and Nelumgama water supply projects constructed at a cost of Rs. 60 million to supply drinking water to 2000 people in the area last Sunday.

The projects were planned under the ‘Pubudamu Wellassa Programme” of the ‘Uva Wellassa Development project’.

Minister De Silva said they were confident that under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa they could win any election.

He said the UNP which has launched a campaign to mislead the masses alleging the government was full of corruption and malpractices. However, despite this malicious campaign UNP under the current leadership poses no threat for them.

“The government has won 15 consecutive elections. The opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who has been defeated in the past 15 elections, is still clinging on to the post because he has no shame.”

The Healthcare Minister challenged Ranil Wickremesinghe should make a public announcement whether he will still cling on to party leadership or respectfully walk away, in an event he loses the next election as well.

The Minister said Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Suriyarachchi were conspiring to score an early election to oust the current opposition leader and an early election would only be detrimental to wickremesinghe’s post not the Government.

He said the minority party leaders like Thondaman, Rauf Hakeem, P. Chandrasekaran and 24 MPs from the UNP, realising the opposition leader’s inability to understand the commoners’ problems and address their grievances, have joined forces with the government to serve the people.

Water Supply and Drainage Minister A. L. M. Athaulla and Healthcare Deputy Minister Vadivel Suresh were also present.