Fonseka’s pledges political gimmick - PM

Suraj Bandara

While some politicians draft manifestos with vote oriented pledges, President Mahinda Rajapaksa thinks only of the country’s betterment and not votes, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka said at Maharagama on Tuesday speaking at a propaganda rally in support of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Premier said Sarath Fonseka was engaging in a verbal battle with the President. “The pledges he gives are only a political gimmick. He knows that he will never come to power defeating a strong leader like Mahinda Rajapaksa”.

Therefore, he tells whatever comes to his head without considering the consequences or the practicability of the pledges, the Premier said.

After vanquishing a powerful terrorist organization from the Sri Lankan soil for ever, the President has embarked on a rapid development process to make Sri Lanka the “number one” nation in the world. He needs people’s support in this regard and the ‘-extension version of the Mahinda Chinthana manifesto will surely fulfil this ultimate goal, he added.

The Premier said if this Government wished to ignore the country’s future existence, it could easily have privatized certain Government ventures and earned money. “But we didnot sell even one State corporation for this purpose. Though we didn’t sell them we have started mega development schemes throughout the island”.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa turned down all conditions laid down by the TNA, which however Fonseka has agreed to.

“We won’t barter away our sovereignty again. We earned this freedom making a lot of sacrifices. We don’t want to betray our Motherland for a few votes,” he said.

“Now there is a good understanding between our neighbouring countries as they have recognized the able leadership and far-sighted vision of the President”.