May Day rallies resound with demands for President, PM to step down

SJB Leader and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa 

SLFP Leader and former President Maithripala Sirisena

JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka

• SJB Leader reiterates Opposition not joining interim Government
• Says people’s demand is for President and PM to go home
• Former President too says people must be allowed to elect new leaders by holding elections
• Trade unions supporting SLPP hold rally in Nugegoda with neither President nor PM in attendance
• JVP holds several rallies across the country 

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday reiterated that his party would not get into an interim Government with the present rulers, adding he would give up politics rather than enter any such alliance.

“We don’t want to be a part of an interim Government and associate with those who have robbed public funds. We only want to form a Government with a people’s mandate,” Premadasa said while addressing hundreds of party supporters at their May Day rally in Colombo.

He also said the people’s demand is for the President and Prime Minister to go home and there is no point in an interim Government.

“I was offered the premiership and I refused to accept it. It happened during the constitutional crisis but I refused. Some say that an alternative Government will be formed and the Opposition leader will be changed. I don’t mind losing the Opposition leader’s post. Anyone can take it,” he also said.

A notable absentee at the SJB rally was MP Patali Champika Ranawaka.

Meanwhile, former President Maithripala Sirisena lambasted the Government for pushing people to poverty with its wrong policies, and said the leaders must stop down.

“The people’s demand is for the leaders in Government to step down and allow people to elect new leaders in an election. The situation will worsen if this Government stays in power. They must bow to the demands of the people,” he said.

Sirisena made the comments at the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s (SLFP) May Day rally held in Polonnaruwa.

The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) held a rally in Nugegoda but neither the President nor the Prime Minister attended the meeting.

Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Gamini Lokuge were among those who attended the rally.

The JVP headed May Day rallies in several cities including Colombo, Anuradhapura, Jaffna and Matara under the slogan ‘struggle’.