Reply To:
Name - Reply Comment
Last Updated : 2024-05-04 12:25:00
The President has the authority to call for a non-binding referendum on whether the people prefer a general election prior to a presidential election but the President will not be able to dissolve Parliament based on such a referendum, SLFP General Secretary and MP Dayasiri Jayasekara said.
He said the only option available for a snap early general election, before the completion of four and half years, is by way of resolution in Parliament approved by a two-thirds majority.
The MP said the new President elected at the November or December presidential election could if necessary dissolve current parliament any time after February 2020.
“I don’t understand why the JO members are now agitating for a presidential election when they earlier campaign for a general election first,” he said.
The MP said Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, who also heads the SLPP would have no choice other than to nominate incumbent President Maithripala Sirisena as the presidential candidate of an SLFP-SLPP alliance because it is only a common candidate from the two-party alliance could win at the forthcoming presidential polls.
He said the winning candidate must secure a minimum of 6.5 million plus votes to win the presidency.
“In 2015, the common candidate secured 6.2 million votes. If you consider the February 2018 local government polls, the SLPP received five million votes, the SLFP-led UPFA obtained 1.4 million votes and the UNP 3.6 million. This clearly shows that only an SLPP-SLFP alliance could garner the necessary number of votes to win,” the MP said. "Victory is impossible if we depend on a family to decide our political future. Who can guarantee that if Gotabaya won the presidency the Cabinet and Parliament will not be filled with Rajapaksas? Under Gotabaya, except for Mahinda, all other Rajapaksas such as Chamal, Basil, Namal, Shashendra and even Nirupama will get cabinet posts. Who wants such a scenario."
Responding to a journalist he said Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s name has taken a back seat while Basil’s and Chamal’s names were in the forefront as presidential candidates.
To another question, the MP said a section of the SLPP and the SLFP fell into the trap set by the government by appointing a select committee to probe allegations levelled against Minister Rishad Bathiudeen.
“The government moved an additional motion empowering the committee to probe the Easter Sunday terror attack. It turned out to be a political witch hunt to embarrass the President by exposing state intelligence information,” he said. (Sandun A Jayasekera)
Video by Amantha
Pics by Kithsiri De Mel
malij Tuesday, 18 June 2019 08:53 PM
Squandering public money just to stay in power. Shame.
Jude Wednesday, 19 June 2019 08:18 AM
Send all Douchebags home !!!
Ranjith Wednesday, 19 June 2019 08:39 AM
We want to know the truth who is at fault for not preventing 21/4 attack it is not a political witch hunt please don't try to mislead the people
Cedric Senaratne Wednesday, 19 June 2019 09:08 AM
Stop these damn political games. Having screwed up the country
Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.
Reply To:
Name - Reply Comment
US authorities are currently reviewing the manifest of every cargo aboard MV
On March 26, a couple arriving from Thailand was arrested with 88 live animal
According to villagers from Naula-Moragolla out of 105 families 80 can afford
Is the situation in Sri Lanka so grim that locals harbour hope that they coul
03 May 2024