MR as PM – fake news, says SLPP

• Party General Secretary says it never requested President to appoint Rajapaksa as PM
• Claims rumours are being spread by those who are politically bankrupt
• Says Rajapaksa will only be appointed to the post with the approval and blessings of people

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam yesterday denied rumours that the party has requested President Ranil Wickremesinghe to re-appoint SLPP Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

“We will never appoint Mahinda Rajapaksa as Premier forcefully and in secret with the support of the military,” Kariyawasam said. “He will be appointed to the post with the blessings of the people,” he added.

While the heavy presence of the military and police was witnessed in Colombo over the weekend, Kariyawasam said rumours connecting the phenomenon to the supposed appointment of Rajapaksa as the new Prime Minister were entirely false.

Speaking at a press conference held at the party headquarters, Kariyawasam accused those who are ‘politically bankrupt’ of spreading these unfounded rumours. “They are simply attempting to gain some presence in the media and to shield their bankruptcy,” he claimed.

“He is not afraid to come into power for the people and neither is he afraid to let go of power for the people,” Kariyawasam said. He reiterated that Rajapaksa will only be appointed to the post amidst the approval and blessings of the country’s people. The General Secretary said the rumours were therefore entirely false.

Kariyawasam also denied the party had any involvement in the attempts to remove several governors as alleged.

Meanwhile, also expressing his views on the rumours, SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa yesterday said his father will only be appointed as Prime Minister through the votes of the people.