Talks with prez only on current affairs: Sajith

UNP-led alliance’s presidential hopeful Sajith Premadasa today said his discussion with President Maithripala Sirisena was centred on current issues in the country and it did not focus on politics.

Mr. Premadasa told a press conference yesterday that he did not discuss anything special with President Maithripala Sirisena.

“It is not necessary that a special situation should arise for me to have a dialogue with the President,” Mr. Premadasa said in response to a question as to why he and the UNP General Secretary had a dialogue with the President where there is no significance in the country at present for him to confer with the President.

Asked whether would accept if President Sirisena pledged his support, he said he would accept anyone who welcomes his policies. He said the same thing about the meeting he had with Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Leader Rauff Hakeem earlier.

Asked whether TNA had laid out any conditions to support him at the presidential election, he said there were no conditions. “I have clearly stated earlier that I am not a person who bows down to conditions. There are only agreements on principles with other parties but no conditions,” he added.

While stating that 45% of the local population earns a daily income of less than Rs. 900, Mr. Premadasa said he would become the voice of the voiceless during the presidential elections.

Meanwhile, former Minister Attauda Seneviratne who has been a long-standing member of the LSSP and former Anuradhapura District MP W. B. Ekanayake pledged their support Mr. Premadasa. Mr. Seneviratne said he made his decision after a deep thought on the future of the country. “I was of the opinion that Mr. Premadasa would be the candidate who would cause the least trouble to the country,” he said. Mr. Ekanayake said he decided to back Mr. Premadasa with the objective of helping the poor. “We only need small projects to help the poor rather than megaprojects,” he said. (Yohan Perera)