Sajith has no deals with opposition: Hirunika

UNF led alliance presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa does not have deals with the opposition as some others in the government do, UNP MP Hirunika Premachnadra said today.

Ms. Premachandra told a news conference that it is such deals with some of the government members had with the opposition which prevented some in the opposition to become presidential candidates today.

“Some who should be in jail are contesting the presidential election today because of the weakness of our government. However Mr. Premadasa will not make such mistakes again,” she said.

Ms. Premachandra said the UNF led alliance will send its candidate Sajith Premadasa to face the media alone and he will answer all their questions raised by journalists without any helper.

Ms Premachandra said this in response to a media conference which SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa held a few days ago. “Mr. Rajapaksa depended on his brother when some questions were asked by the journalists. However our candidate will face the media alone,” she said.

Ms. Premachandra said she was sad to see members of the rival camp passing the buck to security forces when foreign journalists asked about the disappearances during the wartime. “They should not have passed the buck on forces but should have accepted if disappearances had taken place during their regime,” she said.

She said the leader of Opposition had misled the people by stating that the existing Cabinet ceases to exist when a new president is elected. “The current Prime Minister will remain until the present parliament completes four and a half years of its term under the 19th Amendment to the constitution.

“If a new Prime Minister is to be appointed he or she should be able to command a majority in parliament.

Further, she said the statement made by SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa that he will release all security personnel who are in jail in an unfair manner as soon as he comes to power is also a misleading statement. “It is the judiciary which has the power to release prisoners,” the MP said. (Yohan Perera)