President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday expressed his strong desire to secure a two-third’s majority at the upcoming Parliamentary Elections as well as to abolish the 19th Amendment (19A) which he described as very detrimental.

Revealing that General Election will be held at the earliest as the Constitution provides for by April or May, Rajapaksa said that a two-third’s majority was critical to lead the country to the desired socioeconomic path with stability. 

He described Prime Minister and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the best and most popular politician in the country and Basil Rajapaksa as the best engine for the party to secure the two-third majority at the next election. 

He said it was too early to comment on specific election strategies but expressed confidence that all likeminded parties will back SLPP. 

President also reiterated that the 19A will be abolished as it was detrimental for the stability and the progress of the country. 

“It is a weak Amendment causing lot of confusion and uncertainty. It created divisions within the previous regime as well. I don’t see anything good in the 19th Amendment,” opined Rajapaksa. 

He recalled that the confusion over the true spirit of 19A led to uncertainty and clashes between the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary. “This (the crisis) is not a small matter but had a major impact,” he added. 

GR says people voted out culture of “politicking with lies”