Will field ‘non-extremist’ presidential candidate: NMSJ

Monks attached to the NMSJ speaking at the press conference in which they said the common candidate at the last presidential election was not the choice of the late Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera.
Pic by Nisal Baduge 

By Yohan Perera 

Several monks who represent the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) said they would field a candidate at the next presidential election who was a nationalist and not an extremist. 

The NMSJ campaigned for a common candidate at the 2015 election with the support of the parties in the then opposition -- it nominated President Maithripala Sirisena as the common candidate. 
Commenting on this, NMSJ member Venerable Kumbalgoda Dharmaloka Thera said the candidate at the next presidential election should be one who was nationalistic and not an extremist. 
“The candidate should be a person who could establish a Sri Lankan identity and be a national leader like Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The right person should have international exposure to lead this country and read the happenings in the world properly. We have several such leaders in mind but the right person should be approved by all parties and organisations that are willing to come together to usher in peace and prosperity,” the Thera said, adding that he could not divulge any name the NMSJ had in mind. 
Meanwhile, NMSJ member Venerable Mugatuwatawana Siddhartha Thera said the common candidate at the last presidential election was not the choice of the late Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera though he was instrumental in fielding a common candidate. The late Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera was the founder of NMSJ. 

Says right person should have international exposure