Mahinda to hold PC, Parliamentary polls

Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa in a press release yesterday revealed that his primary objective was to hold Provincial Council and Parliamentary elections to give the people the opportunity to vote for a program which would bring the country out of what he called an economic, political and social crisis.

Rajapaksa added that the country was presently in the clutches of a state of uncertainty. He said that at this moment of national peril, he had accepted the invitation extended by President Maithripala Sirisena to assume the position of Prime Minister as the people expected their leadership and protection.

Rajapaksa said that he and his party members would eschew hate politics and set up an interim government which will protect the human rights of all citizens and the independence of the judiciary while establishing law and order in the country.

He invited all political parties represented in Parliament to join them in this endeavour as well as the people of all communities and religions to participate in what he described as a necessary political exercise.

The following is his full message.

The UNP-UPFA government came to an end as the result of the UPFA leaving the coalition. The responsibility of appointing a new government then fell on the President. I was invited to accept the position of Prime Minister with a view to forming a new government. Today, our country is in a state of uncertainty. Details of a plot to assassinate the President and the former Defence Secretary have come to light. Those involved in this conspiracy are being exposed by their own actions. A wave of crime has hit the country and the criminal underworld is on the rise.

The economy of the country is deteriorating by the day. The value of the Rupee has fallen alarmingly.  Our country has been downgraded by the credit rating agencies. The people are oppressed by the ever rising cost of living. The Central Bank bond scam of the UNP government has resulted in a doubling of the interest rate and the ordinary people and businesses alike have been severely affected. In the meantime, the UNP was engaged in a quest to sell off valuable state assets and enterprises to foreign companies.

I was aware that at this moment of national peril, the people expected our leadership and protection. Hence, I accepted the invitation extended to me by the President to assume the position of Prime Minister. We will eschew the politics of hate and set up an interim government that will protect the human rights of all citizens, which will protect the independence of the judiciary and establish law and order in the country. I invite all political parties represented in Parliament to join us in this endeavour. 

I also invite the people of all communities and religions - Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and the followers of Islam [sic] to participate in this very necessary political exercise.

The primary objective of the political party leaders and parliamentarians who have joined me is to immediately hold the Provincial Councils elections that had been postponed continuously, and also to call a parliamentary election as soon as possible so as to give the people the opportunity to vote for a program that will bring the country out of the all-encompassing economic, political and social crisis that it is now in.