President a key figure responsible for current crisis: AKD

Anura Kumara Dissanayake 

• NPP will not join all-party Govt. proposed by President
• Wickremesinghe has made no mention of all-party Govt. time frame 
• NPP proposals have been ignored 

By Maneshka Borham

National People’s Power (NPP) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake has accused President Ranil Wickremesinghe of being a key figure responsible for the current crisis faced by the country. 

“He had nothing new to say at the beginning of the new parliamentary session. If we are to consider his speech in Parliament it can only be said that President Ranil Wickremesinghe made a statement against the person that is Ranil Wickremesinghe,” he said. 

Dissanayake pointed out that the President has represented Parliament for 45 years and for 43 years, he has held the post of Prime Minister on six occasions while he has also served as a Cabinet Minister and as leader of the Opposition. “Therefore, he is a key figure responsible for the current crisis,” the NPP leader alleged. 

“Neither has Ranil Wickremesinghe mentioned the time period for the all-party Government to be formed,” Dissanayake said, pointing out that the Mahanayaka Theros and the Bar Association had proposed an all-party interim Government to be formed for a short period. 

According to him, the President has also failed to mention the responsibilities the interim Government will be tasked with, its role and how long the interim Government will be limited to.

He said therefore his party will not be part of the all-party Government proposed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe. “We are being invited by Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Rajapaksa camp to form a Government. This is not an all-party Government,” he said, adding that the NPP will not be part of this. 

“We proposed an all-party Government in which the rights of each party are represented, and each party can make a contribution. But these proposals have not been considered,” he said.