Rally round the Govt, PM appeals to UNPers

It was the late S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike who opened the doors of Parliament to the ordinary people when it was the bastion of the elitist segments of the society.

Prime Minister, Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka said so participating as the Chief Guest at the felicitation ceremony held at Polonnaruwa, Thopawewa MV to mark the 20th anniversary of Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Minister, Maithripala Sirisena's political career.

The Premier said it is time for all people to rally round the Government which is committed to defeat terrorism and herald the development of the country. We liberated the Eastern Province and the terrorists are today cornered into a small area in the North by our valiant forces.

Some people thrived on terrorism under different name boards and tried their best to cripple the efforts of the armed forces. We won the Wayamba and Central Provincial Council elections due to our policies, vision and development priorities. What really contributed to our success was the people-oriented base of our party.

Today the UNP's base shattered.

Minorities have extended their full support to our Government. So we appeal to the UNPers to rally round the Government, the Prime Minister said.

Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Minister, Maithripala Sirisena said, he is grateful to this electorate which enabled him to represent the Parliament for the last twenty years.

"My 40 year old political life is a hard won achievement. I lost my near and dear due to the 88/89 insurgency and later the terrorism," he recollected.

Minister, Prof. Vishwa Warnapala and Prof. G. L. Peiris also spoke.

The Maha Sangha, Ministers Siripala Gamlath and Tissa Karaliyadda and Southern Province Chief Minister Shan Wijelal de Silva also participated.