27 November 2019 12:01 am
By Lahiru Pothmulla
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) yesterday requested the people of the Tamil and Muslim communities to join the party at the upcoming parliamentary election.
Addressing a news briefing held at the SLPP head office, MP Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said the United National Party (UNP) attempted to win the presidential election solely on the votes in the North and East but failed.
“Nevertheless, the voter turnout at the presidential election in Jaffna District exceeded 80 per cent. The Sinhalese Buddhist base has defeated racism and we request the Muslim and Tamil communities to join us to defeat all forms of racisms. There were a number of political parties based in the North during the past but they were not racist-oriented. I request the members of the Tamil and Muslim communities to join us at the upcoming general election. We are confident that we can win a majority of seats in parliament next year,” he remarked.
The MP divulged that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa were ready to kick-start projects in the Northern and Eastern Provinces as pledged during the presidential election campaign.
Meanwhile, he said the new government was making arrangements to provide a relief package to the underprivileged and fertilizer free of charge, to the farmers. “We will resume the development of the country. The prices of pepper increased by Rs.200 this week. The demand for other minor export crops is also increasing,” he said.
On a different note, MP Abeywardena remarked that Opposition Leader will be UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and that it cannot be changed. “We are in favour of Mr. Wickremesinghe holding both the leadership of the UNP and the opposition,” he opined.
Nevertheless, the voter turnout at the presidential election in Jaffna District exceeded 80 per cent. The Sinhalese Buddhist base has defeated racism and we request the Muslim and Tamil communities to join us to defeat all forms of racisms