Elect President for country to prosper
M.P. Muttiah
The forthcoming Presidential Election is crucial since almost all the
people would vote for the first time since 1982, said Communist Party
General Secretary and Constitutional Affairs and National Integration
Minister D.E.W. Gunasekera. In the past either some sections boycotted
the elections or war created such a situation, he said.
Addressing a press conference convened by five Left Parties, the LSSP,
CPSL, Democratic Left Front, PLOTE and EPRLF (Padmanaba) Minister
Gunasekera said it is necessary to reelect President Mahinda Rajapaksa
to avoid the country from sliding into a military regime.
The only aim of the UNP led Opposition is to defeat President
Rajapaksa.
LSSP Leader and Science and Technology Minister Professor Tissa
Vitharana said Sarath Fonseka was giving false promises to the people.
He said President Rajapaksa had agreed to find a political solution
to the ethnic issue.
In future, the APRC would be expanded with different political
parties and consensus reached in this regard, he said.
He pointed out the President would be the Supreme Commander of the
Armed Forces as such if Fonseka succeeded, he would not have any
difficulty in introducing a military rule.
Democratic Left Front Leader Vasudeva Nanayakkara said President
Rajapaksa never allowed foreign exploitation. If a military leader comes
to power, democracy would be in danger.
PLOTE Leader D. Sitharthan said Leftists had a good working
relationship with the President. He said it would be possible to find a
political solution under President Rajapaksa. He added that the
President had successfully solved many problems including the
resettlement of IDPs, handing over of former LTTE child soldiers who
were forcefully recruited. When comparing the candidates vying for the
President’s post, there was no match for President Rajapaksa, he said.
EPRFL (Padmanaba) Leader T. Sritharan said while the TNA strongly
advocates for the de-merger of the North and East, the JVP was
completely against it.
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