First Presidential poll in undivided country :

UPFA leaders pledge wholehearted support to President

Lakshmi de Silva

UPFA leaders expressing their wholehearted support to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the forthcoming Presidential election, predicted a clear victory with a larger majority of votes for the President

Minister Sirisena

Addressing the UPFA press conference at the Mahaveli Centre Colombo yesterday, SLFP General Secretary Agriculture, Agrarian Services and Mahaveli Development Minister Maithripala Sirisena said four years back when President Rajapaksa took charge of the country UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had bequeathed a divided country, heaps of bodies and killings, with a separate entity running their own administration and even banks and kangaroo courts.

“But within four years President Rajapaksa had succeeded in defeating terrorism, recreate a unitary country with democracy in all parts of the country,” he said.

It was the first Presidential poll being held in a unitary democratic country rid of terrorism after three decades.

In the forthcoming election, President Rajapaksa is contesting as a mature leader who not only defeated terrorism but showed his courage in facing up to international pressure without being swayed by it, Minister Sirisena noted. Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Minister MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena said this was a proud moment of the country that no longer had secret accords.

“We have won a new country with unity of all groups and international conspiracies that some opposition parties were party to.

This is the moment of rebuilding the country’s economy especially the neglected rural sector. President Rajapaksa is the only leader who was capable of achieving those objectives,” he said..

Constitutional Affairs Minister and Communist Party leader DEW Gunasekera said President

Rajapaksa faced the global economic downturn but managed the national economy to create a growth rate of over 3.4 percent.

He faced the international energy crisis when a barrel of crude oil reached US$ 147 and the international food crisis and with all such obstacles he led the war to defeat the most terrible terrorist group and revived democracy defeating not only terrorism but also other anti-national conspiracies, the Minister said.

Therefore the Communist Party will go all out to ensure President Rajapaksa’s victory, he said. JHU leader Ven Ellawala Medhananda Thera said the JHU visited the Sri Dalada Maligawa and held a pancha padma pooja symbolizing five principles before the last general election.

Accordingly President Rajapaksa and the UPFA government succeeded in defeating terrorism and revived the unitary status of the country. The LTTE lasted for 33 years and was no more after it was defeated in May 2009 under the leadership of President Rajapaksa. Therefore the JHU will support President Rajapaksa in the forthcoming Presidential election to ensure that we live in a free country, the Thera said.

JNP leader Wimal Weerawansa said the flame of fear has been extinguished from the public mind and now it was time to extinguish the fire of starvation.

Puppets of international and foreign forces could play any drama on stage but no force was capable of defeating President Rajapaksa. As commander in chief of the Armed Forces President Rajapaksa gave all the material and moral support and political leadership to win the war.

How could the JVP align itself with the UNP that was notorious for having killed 60,000 youth as well the founder leader Rohana Wijeweera who was summarily executed in Colombo. How could the JVP share the same political platform with the UNP unless they had no shame, he queried.

“We are confident that President Rajapaksa is capable of resolving the problems of the minorities. We are confident that he will win the forthcoming Presidential election. The Upcountry People’s Front will go all out to support President Rajapaksa, UPF parliamentarian P.Radhakrishnan said.