SJB’s Eran defends AKD against Lohan’s verbal onslaught 

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Eran Wickramaratne has condemned State Minister of Plantation Industries Lohan Ratwatte for his recent comments against rival National People’s Party (NPP) leader Anura Kumar Dissanayake. 

Addressing a rally in Kandy over the weekend, Ratwatte had said he will not allow Dissanayake to take over as Sri Lanka’s next leader. 

“Has Anura Dissanayake constructed even a small gutter for the people? We won’t allow him to become President of this country as long as I am around in politics,” he had said.

In response Wickramaratne taking to social media platform X yesterday said such statements have dangerous undertones considering Sri Lanka’s history of election interference and violence. 

“While I disagree with the policies of NPP and believe that Sajith is the election frontrunner, no politician has the right to allow or not allow a candidate to be elected,” Wickramaratne said.

Ratwatte also criticised SJB leader Sajith Premadasa during the rally, claiming that Premadasa judged a man’s height and suggested he was only fit for a security job.

“I voted for Ranil Wickremesinghe in Parliament to elect him as President with considerable hesitation, but I will now endorse him without any doubt,” he added.