Ensure UNP candidate’s victory to enact new constitution: PM

UNP leader Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said it was important to ensure the victory of presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa as the next step to enact the new constitution.

Addressing a meeting with civil society leaders at Temple Trees yesterday, Mr. Wickremesinghe said victory at the presidential election should be considered as the final battle as there is much more to be done to bring in a new constitution.

“The presidential election is an exercise which we could use to win the parliamentary elections. Then, we could achieve a clear majority in parliament. We brought about reforms and freedom though we were a minority government. We should now try to obtain a majority in the House” he said.

“We have fielded the Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa as our candidate for this purpose” he added.

He said, “We have to enact the new constitution. Therefore, the next few years are very important for us. It means we have to be in power. For it, we have to win the presidential elections. We field Mr. Sajith Premadasa as the candidate. After winning that election, we will go for the parliamentary elections. We have to win with an absolute majority. ”(Yohan Perera)