Ranil for a national unity government
Opposition United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has proposed forming a national unity government if opposition common candidate Maithripala Sirisena wins the January Presidential elections.
Speaking to UNP members at Sirikotha yesterday in the presence of Sirisena, the UNP leader said that he had proposed forming the national unity government until the next General election.
UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe with common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena at Sirikotha yesterday – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara
“Once Maithripala Sirisena is made President we will form a Government. That will not be a UNP Government or SLFP Government. It will be a Government which will include all parties,” he said.
The UNP leader said that the main objective of the new Government would be to abolish the Executive Presidency.
He said that while Maithripala Sirisena expects to abolish the Executive Presidency within 100 days after the Presidential elections, he feels it can be done in a shorter space of time.
The UNP leader also proposed that temporary concessions be given to the public at the conclusion of the Presidential election next year and later hold a General election and allow the people to select who they want in the new Parliament.
He said that at the General election the UNP will contest under the elephant symbol and look to have a larger representation in Parliament but yet work with other political parties on urgent national issues.
“We should work together at least for two years to address these issues,” he said.
The UNP leader called on party organisers and members to work hard towards gathering the support of all other political parties for the Presidential election with the ultimate goal being to bring the UNP back to power. (Colombo Gazette)
Maithripala to follow Gandhi, Mandela
Common opposition Presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena says he will follow the vision of great leaders like former South African President Nelson Mandela and the leader of the Indian independence movement in British-ruled India, Mahatma Gandhi. |