Monday Sep 23, 2024
Monday Sep 23, 2024
Saturday, 31 August 2019 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Present tensions within the United National Party (UNP) will dissolve and members will come together to put up a strong fight and ensure their candidate wins at the Presidential Election, Parliamentarian Harshana Rajakaruna said yesterday.
Speaking to media at Temple Trees yesterday, Rajakaruna said the entire party would work together towards the victory of the Presidential candidate and lead the country to prosperity.
“UNP members have different views and that is not an issue we should worry about. When the party announces the presidential candidate, everyone will come together and work hard toward the victory of that candidate,” Rajakaruna said.
He noted the UNP was not in a hurry to announce its presidential candidate as there was at least two months left to decide on the candidate.
“Presidential Election is yet to be officially announced but some political parties have already nominated their candidate. We will nominate a suitable candidate when the time is right.”
He argued even the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) members held divided opinions on their presidential candidate but following the announcement the entire party came together to support one candidate. Similarly he said UNP members would also be united once the candidate is announced.
Referring to SLPP presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Rajakaruna said questions over the renouncement of Rajapaksa’s US citizenship remained. He questioned the logic of the Opposition MPs that criticise the US but back a US citizen as their presidential candidate.
“The SLPP presidential candidate has properties in the US and his children live in the US. How can opposition MPs speak against the US while naming a US citizen as their candidate? Gotabaya Rajapaksa left Sri Lanka and applied for US citizenship. That is how he got his US citizenship. If he loved this country why did he leave Sri Lanka in the first place?”
He charged the public should be aware of the truth about the SLPP candidate and should not be misled by slogans used by the Opposition on patriotism.
According to Rajakaruna, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna’s (JVP) presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake will not do well at the upcoming Presidential Election because the majority of the public no longer support socialist economic policies.
“The country should move forward with a more liberal ideology. This is not an era of socialist economic policies. The entire world has move towards a more liberal market. Therefore JVP policies will not be practical for a modern Sri Lanka,” he said.
