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Monday, 29 January 2018 01:17 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The UNP yesterday, responding to recent political statements made by President Maithripala Sirisena, asserted that if the President formed a government with all 96 UPFA MPs in Parliament, the Government would have to
meet in hell.
Deputy Minister of Power and Renewable Energy Ajith P. Perera, addressing a media briefing at the ministry office, said that he hoped the President would not align himself with corrupt politicians.
“We hope the President we helped come into power would not do such a thing. He should not confuse the role of a party leader and that of the president of a nation. If the President forms a government with the 96 UPFA MPs that government could only convene in hell,” Deputy Minister Perera said.
President Sirisena, speaking at an election rally on 27 January, said that he was prepared to form a Government led by the SLFP if all 96 UPFA MPs joined hands with him.
Referring to comments made by the Chairman of the Elections Commission, Mahinda Deshapriya, Minister Perera said that the bond report debate in Parliament must be open to the media.
“Parliament is supreme. If the bond report debate is held on 8 February it must be opened to the media as it is a matter of national importance. The UNP is ready for the debate. We have enough dirt on some of the 96 UPFA MPs the President is talking about,” he said.
Citing remarks made by Western Province Chief Minister Isuru Devapriya that President Sirisena had advised former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa to go into hiding in a foreign country, Minister Perera said that Devapriya should be sacked from his Chief Minister post for making such a false statement against the President.
“Advising someone to seek refuge in a foreign land to avoid prosecution is a treacherous act and the Western Province Chief Minister is attributing such an act to the President. It is certain that President Sirisena did not give such advice. The Western Province Chief Minister should be removed from his portfolio and charged under criminal law for making a false statement regarding the President,” Minister Perera affirmed.
Chief Minister Devapriya, addressing an election rally recently, claimed that there was a conspiracy among the Rajapaksa clan to have Gotabaya Rajapaksa imprisoned and that President Sirisena had advised the former Defence Secretary to seek sanctuary abroad while warning him of the conspiracy.
Parliamentarian Bandula Gunawardana said that the statement made by President Maithripala Sirisena claiming that he was ready to form a Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) government if all 96 members of the UPFA pledged their support to his cause was only a statement made on a political stage.
Gunawardana made this sentiment while addressing a media briefing of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) yesterday.
“Forming governments is not like a game played by kids. You cannot join or leave governments at your wish. The President should understand the gravity of this,” Gunawardana said.
President Sirisena on 27 January said he was willing to establish a Government led by the SLFP if all 96 United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) parliamentarians joined together with him.
