Ranil challenged to contest as Chief Ministerial candidate in WP

Convener of the Disabled War Heroes’ Association Flight Lieutenant Shantha Jayathilaka yesterday challenged the UNP Leader to enter the fray as the chief ministerial candidate in the Western Province and defeat and UPFA at the forthcoming Western Provincial election.

Jayathilaka addressing a press briefing at the Mahaweli Centre yesterday, refuted UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s allegation that the UPFA has not fielded a candidate representing the war heroes from the Kurunegala district.

A candidate representing the disabled war heroes is in the UPFA Kurunegala district nomination list and the war veterans are expected to enter the Western Provincial Election fray from the Kalutara, Colombo and Gampaha districts under the UPFA ticket, he said. He said the President has promised to give an opportunity to war heroes who have shown exceptional performances in the battlefield to enter mainstream politics.

“The UNP leader betrayed the country and the Forces under the pretext of the CFA.

The Forces in the Northern and Eastern Province had to face innumerable harassment and inconvenience during the ceasefire period,” he said.

The people averted the devolution of the country in time by appointing President Mahinda Rajapaksa whose able leadership has helped make many achievements in the battlefield.

The country is on the verge of being reunited under one banner and the vicissitudes of political ideologies which gave rise to friction and division has been torn asunder, he said.

CP