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Vasu against Gota, Basil contesting

26 May 2015 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

While saying he was opposed to Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa contesting the general elections under the UPFA or the SLFP, DLF Leader Vasudeva Nanayakkara said he was helpless if the alliance nominated them.

He said former President Rajapaksa was certain to be the prime minister of the new government to be formed after the elections.

Mr. Nanayakkara said Mr. Rajapaksa would not be disqualified to act as President under the 19th Amendment in the event of President Maithripala Sirisena being unseated through an impeachment motion.

Mr. Rajapaksa would serve for a limited period of time in an acting capacity until parliament finds an MP to serve as executive president for the rest of the term after the ouster of President Sirisena.

He told the media that the attempts made by the constituent partners of the previous UPFA government including the SLFP and the DLF to bring the group supporting Rajapaksa back to the SLFP were extremely successful.

"I have no doubt that the entire SLFP will unite under the SLFP-led by President Maithripala Sirisena by the time the election is due and contest under one flag to win the election and form the next government. During the re-unification of the two factions, about 5% of the SLFP will join the UNP but the UPFA led by the united SLFP is capable of winning the election under the leadership of President Sirisena and Mr. Rajapaksa and emerge victorious to form a strong government," Mr. Nanayakkara said.

He said Mr. Rajapaksa was his own enemy and did not listen to advice and this resulted in his downfall.

"The leftist parties in the UPFA and I opposed the impeachment of former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayaka, the introduction of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution and the attack on Muslims at Alutgama by the Bodu Bala Sena goons backed by former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. We also wanted Mr. Rajapaksa to bring down the cost of living by reducing prices of essential commodities to give relief to the poor. But unfortunately, he did not listen to us thus leading to his own down fall," Mr. Nanayakkara said.

Responding to a journalist whether it was proper to bring back Rajapaksa as the prime minister after all the negative marks against him, Mr. Nanayakkara said Mr. Rajapaksa was made to do what he could not despite his follies, he had done much for the country including winning the war against terrorism, and holding elections in the Northern Province.

"He is the voice against capitalism. He is the leader of the down trodden and the proletariat. But I admit that there are many things that should have been done by the Rajapaksa regime but had failed. I am totally against bringing back Gotabaya and Basil because they were the main architects of the debacle," he charged.

Commenting on the 20th Amendment, Mr. Nanayakkara said the general elections must be conducted under the new electoral system.

"The DLF wants the new Parliament to be limited to 250 seats comprising 200 under the First-Past-the-Post System and 50 on the national list.

Commenting on his verbal clash with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe last week, Mr. Nanayakkara said he was provoked by Mr. Wickremesinghe interrupting him when he was on his feet on a Point of Order and added that he had no intention of apologising to Mr. Wickremesinghe over the matter. (Sandun A Jayasekera)

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Vasu against Gota, Basil contesting

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