Welgama blames Mahinda for current situation

• Says he was first to oppose GR being made presidential candidate
• Says his objections were ignored and wrong decision has set country on fire

 

Independent MP Kumara Welgama yesterday blamed the evolving situation in the country entirely on the wrong decision taken by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to make his brother Gotabaya the presidential candidate.

“The Prime Minister is responsible for this entire situation today. I was the first one to oppose Gotabaya Rajapaksa being made the presidential candidate. I told Mahinda Rajapaksa that a man who has not even served in a Pradeshiya Sabha should not be allowed to run for President, but he did not listen to me,” Welgama said.

He said today the people’s rallying call is for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to go home. “I was the first person to say that, but Mahinda Rajapaksa was keen to have one of his family members as the candidate and did not listen to me,“ Welgama said.

He said the whole country is on fire today because of this wrong decision.

He said he had rejected ministerial portfolios offered by former President Maithripala Sirisena and instead joined forces to bring Mahinda Rajapaksa back to power after 2015. “We thought he wouldn›t get his family members involved but he went ahead and did that,” he said.