Catholic Church asks Sri Lanka not to mix pope and politics

December 2, 2014,

Colombo (AFP) - The Catholic Church Monday asked Sri Lankan authorities immediately to remove presidential election posters bearing the image of Pope Francis, who is scheduled to visit the island next month.

The church also denied claims by an opposition lawmaker that the pontiff had cancelled his January 13-15 visit because a presidential election was being held just days earlier.


"We categorically state that the visit of the holy father will go ahead as scheduled," the church said in a statement. "We ask legislators not to make irresponsible statements and mislead people."


The church itself had earlier expressed doubts over the visit so close to a national election.


Roman Catholics account for around six percent of Sri Lanka’s 20 million population and their block vote is seen as crucial to secure the presidency in the January 8 vote.


The church statement said authorities had been asked to remove all campaign posters with the image of the pope and other church symbols.


It said a previous request to political parties appeared to have been ignored.


Posters which have been displayed in Catholic-populated areas show President Mahinda Rajapakse at a recent audience with the pope.


Rajapakse, a member of the majority Buddhist community who is seeking an unprecedented third term, is being challenged by his former health minister Maithripala Sirisena, who is also a Buddhist.

The Sirisena Campaign needs to pick up from Uva

by Harim Peiris-December 2, 2014

Kicking off his election campaign in his native Polonaruwa, with his first election rally, the Maithripala Sirisena, common opposition campaign is gaining momentum. Increasing the exodus from the UPFA was Nuwara Elisa District parliamentarian Navin Dissanayake, the Minister for Public Management Reforms, who resigned from the government and pledged his support to Maithripala Sirisena. He was preceded late last week by Hunais Farook, MP from the Vanni, who also crossed over to the opposition. 

The Sirisena Campaign Needs to Pick Up From Uva by Thavam Ratna

We Are For Creation Of A Civilized And Moral Society: Maithri Movement

December 2, 2014

The common Opposition movement has pledged to abolish the preferential voting system and to introduce a new electoral system instead that would be an amalgamation of the previous first-past-the-vote system and proportional representation. In the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed by all parties that pledged their support to the common Opposition movement and for Maithripala Sirisena‘s candidacy in the run for Presidency yesterday, it has been noted that the new system would provide a fair representation for all communities and political opinions within an electorate and would also ensure that every electorate has its own MP.

Apart from the pledge to abolish the Executive Presidential system within 10 days, the MoU also states that the common Opposition seeks to repeal the 18th amendment and reinstate the independence of the judiciary, police and state service, elections commissioners and other institutions that ensure democracy and good governance in the country. Among its immediate tasks it has also listed salary reforms in order to meet the challenging needs of the rising cost of living and a program to encourage domestic industries, agriculture and fisheries.

Moreover, the MoU has also listed several other tasks which the common Opposition seeks to implemented within the period of the first 100 days, through a well laid out plan to which includes:

- Introduce a strict accountability system through grater transparency that would ensure the prevention of large scale fraud, corruption, bribery and earning of commissions as well as the wastage of public funds and to take legal action against financial misappropriations that have already been committed.

- Guaranteeing primacy to the Rule of Law and the restoration of democracy and good governance as well as securing the fundamental rights and freedoms, media freedom and right to Information in order to assure the right for Sri Lankans to live in dignity.

-Re-establishment of a stronger welfare state that would expand its beneficiaries to include women, children, disabled persons, elderly persons and pensioners.

- Empowerment of youth to meet the challenges of continuously changing world by providing knowledge in terms of education, technical and other skills and training.

-  Ensure dignity and equal opportunities for all citizens in social, cultural, economic and political spheres – Creation of a civilized and moral society and in particular, reform the political culture of the country that has sunk to unprecedented depths.

Common opposition leaders sign MOU in support of Maithri: JHU too joins later at Maithri’s residence

(Lanka-e-News -02.Dec.2014, 11.30PM)The common opposition leaders supporting their common candidate Maithripala Sirisena at the up coming Presidential elections signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) yesterday (01) at the Colombo , Vihara Maha Devi park open theater .Prior to this event , a religious ceremony was conducted by the leaders who paid homage to the statue of Lord Buddha with floral tributes at the Vihara Maha Devi park . The religious dignitaries too chanted ‘jaya piritha.’

Ranil Wickremesinghe placed the first signature followed by Maithripala Sirisena . Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera , the President of the campaign for a just society , former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaranatunge , Democratic party leader General Sarath Fonseka , Mawbima Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna leader Hemakumara Nanayakkara ,Arjuna Ranatunge , Dr. Rajitha Senaratne , M.K.D.S. Gunawardena and Mano Ganeshan also signed the MOU.

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) , signed a separate MOU with Maithripala Sirisena after the pirith ceremony conducted at Maithri’s residence.

Herein are the MOU in details and the photographs covering the events.

A Common People’s Agenda for Just, Democratic and People-friendly Governance

As Sri Lankans we face several grave challenges. The country, which was once seen as a model of democracy, has degenerated in recent years into a place where its citizens cannot live with dignity and in safety. Among the manifestations of this situation are:

• the total breakdown of the Rule of Law,
• the erosion of democratic institutions essential for governance,
• an unprecedented widening of social disparities and social injustices,
• severe strains on co-existence between different ethnic and religious communities and increasing disharmony and distrust.

In this situation, the following program is presented so as to re-establish democracy, good governance, social justice and the rule of law. Accordingly, it is proposed that the present authoritarian and corrupt regime be defeated by fielding a common candidate acceptable to all those in agreement with the programme. The immediate tasks will be implemented within a hundred days, including abolition of the current executive presidency and the re-establishment of a parliamentary form of government. Through a new Parliament the rest of the programme will be fulfilled.

To fulfill the immediate tasks and objectives given below, an All-Party Government will be formed for a period of not less than two years.

Immediate Tasks

1. The present executive presidential system will be abolished within a hundred days and replaced by a Parliamentary form accountable to the people. Under the Parliamentary system, the President will symbolize national unity and have duties and powers appropriate to the position.
2. The Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution will be repealed and the independence of institutions essential for democratic governance, such as the judiciary, police, public service, election authorities, Attorney-General, Auditor-General and independent Commissions re-established and further strengthened.
3. The current preferential voting system will be abolished. The new electoral system will provide for the just representation of all communities and political opinions and will be a mix of the first-past-the-post system, which ensures that every electorate has its own Member of Parliament, and proportional representation.
4. The oppressive burden of the cost of living of the people will be reduced through granting of a commensurate increase in salaries of the public service and the private sector; strengthen the industrial, agricultural, plantations, fisheries and small industries components of the economy and guarantee a fair price for local produce; develop an effective social safety net for marginalized groups and the poor and, in particular, for women and children, the elderly, pensioners and disabled persons.

In addition, measures will be initiated in the first hundred days to:

• immediately prevent, through greater transparency and accountability, the present unprecedented large scale fraud, corruption, bribery and earning of commissions as well as the wastage of public funds; take action according to law to deal with abuses that have been committed
• guarantee the primacy of the Rule of Law, restore democracy on a sustainable foundation of good governance, secure and advance fundamental rights and freedoms, strengthen the right to freedom of expression inclusive of media freedom and the Right to Information, and ensure the right to live in human dignity
• further develop the right to live in human dignity through re-establishment of the welfare state, and in particular guarantee the right to high quality free education and health services
• empower youth to successfully meet the challenges of the rapidly changing world, in particular through providing essential technical knowledge and skills and training required for high level employment
• guarantee dignity and equal opportunity for all citizens in the social, cultural, economic and political spheres
• create a civilized and moral society and in particular reform the political culture of the country that has sunk to unprecedented depths.

The political parties, groups and citizen’s organizations that are committed to this People’s Agenda shall dedicate themselves towards achieving its objectives.

---------------------------
by     (2014-12-02 22:06:04)

The President Who Could Not Contain His Own Deputy on Two Occasions is Certainly Vulnerable

[The two deputies are now together]
by Vishwamithra 1984-02/12/2014  

“I freed a thousand slaves I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.”
~Harriet Tubman

Maithripala Sirisena’s landmark crossover to the Opposition just weeks before the nomination day of the Presidential Elections captured the imagination of the country. However, Maithree’s crossover does not stand alone in the realm of political crossovers in the last fifty years. But it clearly signifies a real problem Mahinda Rajapaksa has. That is, those who fall out with the President are not in just ‘also-ran’ category or second-tier or third-tier personalities.
The President Who Could Not Contain His Own Deputy on Two Occasions is Certainly Vulnerable by Thavam Ratna

Rajapaksa stores should be closed down – Anura

TUESDAY, 02 DECEMBER 2014

“Buying from Rajapaksa’s shop should be stopped. Not only that - it should be made to close down,” said the Leader of the JVP Anura Dissanayaka at the rally held at Nugegoda yesterday (1st) under the theme ‘‘Defeat despotic regime! Rally for Democracy!!’, the first of the series of rallies the JVP has planned to hold in principal towns in the island as part of its election campaign.

Speaking further Mr. Dissanayaka said, “Two camps exist before us at present. One is the camp led by Mahinda Rajapaksa. The other camp is led by Miathripala Sirisena. What is in Rajapaksa stores? The owners of the shop are brothers. There are expired goods in it. The prices are high. The toffees that are sold there have poison inside with a sugar covering. As such, buying goods from Rajapaksa stores should be stopped. Also, this store should be made to close down.

On the other side is Maithri’s stores. It has a new board. It states the executive presidency would be abolished,17th amendment would be restored and the 18th amendment annulled. This is good. The board is new and the owner of the store is also new. However, we’re not sure about the goods in the stores. We are definite when we say Rajapaksa stores should be closed down. The people have to decide which stores to visit.

Those who worked in Rajapaksa stores too have come out. They say they regret putting their hands up for what Rajapaska did. They say Rajapaksa stores stinks. The JVP has been telling this throughout the past. As such, Rajapaksa stores should be closed down.”

The Significance Of FSP Candidacy In The Eighth Presidential Election

Duminda Nagamuwa

By Sumanasiri Liyanage -

Sumanasiri Liyanage

Mahinda Rajapaksa has to face his erstwhile colleague in the cabinet and the General Secretary of the SLFP, former Minister of Health, Maithripala Sirisena at the forthcoming presidential election. Since many parties including the main opposition party, UNP, and civil society organizations have already decided to back Maithripala’s candidacy, he has now emerged as the main contender to the incumbent president

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, one of the leading left parties has announced that it will boycott the presidential election although rumors are in the air that its central committee wanted Anura Kumara Dissanayake, de facto leader of the parliamentary opposition to contest. It is in this context marked by the absence of JVP in the presidential race in spite of a 200% increase in its vote at the Uva Provincial Council election held some time ago, that the breakaway group of the JVP, Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) decided to field a candidate representing the social left in Sri Lanka that at the moment is not numerically very strong.Read More

A Reform Agenda: Tightening Up Foreign Policy And Foreign Relations

Vass

By Rajiva Wijesinha - December 1, 2014 

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself is of the view that our Ministry of External Affairs is a mess. His offer to Mangala Samaraweera to make him Foreign Minister indicates his realization that his greatest blunder is the hash the troika that runs the Ministry has made of our international relations. And he confirmed this to Vasantha Senanayake, when Basil accused him of criticizing the Foreign Minister openly.

He had assured Mangala that he would not inflict Sajin Vass Gunawardenaon him as a Monitor, which suggests he realizes what a disaster that particular appointment has been. When it was made, he claimed that at least now letters were being answered. That was a necessity, but the power Sajin exercised led to the Minister then abdicating all authority and handing over decision making to his Monitor.

Despite that the crucial letter sent by the Indian Prime Minister before the vote in Geneva in 2012 lay unanswered. In fairness though, that factor is true of our administration in general, and the requirement that letters be answered in three days has been interpreted to mean that at least three days must lapse before a reply is even thought of. One reason I had high regard for Maithripala Sirisena previously, and said so often in my discussions of my work in the North and East as Advisor on Reconciliation, is that his Ministry usually responded to my transmission of complaints from the public. But most Ministries kept silent, though occasionally there were flurries of activity after I had brought the matter up in COPE.Read More

Buddhist monks warn of violence during Sri Lanka polls

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Colombo: An influential party of Buddhist monks warned Tuesday of violence during Sri Lanka`s upcoming presidential election, two weeks after it defected from the coalition government.

The JHU, or National Heritage Party, said it feared President Mahinda Rajapakse`s regime would resort to violence as it tried to cling to power.

The warning came as a private election monitoring group said there had already been several incidences of pre-election violence and accused police of inaction.

"This election has the potential to be one of the most violent," said the JHU`s Udaya Gammanpila, a former provincial minister.

"As the campaign picks up, so will the violence," he added.

The JHU has just three seats in the 225-member parliament, but the monks are considered influential among the country`s majority Buddhist community.

The party campaigned for Rajapakse to become president in 2005 and backed his re-election in 2010, but ditched him last month over governance issues.

On Tuesday the party entered a pact with the main opposition candidate, Maithripala Sirisena, who has promised to "restore rule of law" if he wins the January 8 poll, which Rajapakse called two years ahead of schedule.

The private election monitoring group Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE) says there have been at least eight serious polls-related incidents since Rajapakse called the election two weeks ago.

"About half a dozen people have been admitted to hospital and many more had been hurt in clashes unleashed by government supporters," CAFFE director Keerthi Tennakoon told AFP. 

"The unique feature is that police have failed to arrest a single person in connection with these attacks although CCTV and photographic evidence had been provided on the perpetrators," he added.

Police have said they are investigating.

Almost all Sri Lanka`s elections of the past decade have been marred by campaign-related violence, including assassinations and bomb attacks.

Rajapakse remains popular with voters from the Sinhalese majority after he won a 37-year war against Tamil separatists in 2009, but critics say he has become increasingly authoritarian.

He called the snap election after his party suffered a sharp drop in support, losing over 21 percent of the vote in September`s local elections.

Rajapakse`s party has also seen a series of defections in the past two weeks, and he is struggling to avoid international censure over claims his troops killed 40,000 Tamil civilians in the bloody finale of the fighting.

AFP 

புதிய அரசியல் சக்தி இனப்பிரச்சினைக்கு தீர்வினை காணும் என எதிர்பார்க்கிறோம்; கூட்டமைப்பு

2014-12-02 16:36:21 | Jayasooriyan

நாட்டில் உருவாகும் புதிய அரசியல் சக்தியானது தேசிய இனப்பிரச்சினைக்கு தீர்வு காண்பதற்கான வழிவகைகளை உருவாக்கும் என்று எதிர்பார்ப்பதாக தமிழ் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பின் பாராளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர் எம்.ஏ.சுமந்திரன் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

பிரஜைகளின் சக்தி என்ற பொது அமைப்பு ஒழுங்கு செய்த கூட்டத்திற்கு  அழைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த சுமந்திரன் அக்கூட்டத்தில் கலந்துகொள்ளாது விடுத்திருக்கும் அறிக்கையிலேயே மேற்கண்டவாறு தெரிவித்துள்ளார். அவர் விடுத்துள்ள அறிக்கையில் மேலும் கூறியிருப்பதாவது:

இலங்கையில் நிறைவேற்று அதிகாரம் கொண்ட ஜனாதிபதி முறையை ஒழிப்பதற்கும், ஜனநாயகத்தையும், நல்லாட்சியையும் மீண்டும் கட்டியெழுப்பவும் தமிழ்த் தேசியக்கூட்டமைப்பு தொடர்ச்சியாகக் குரல் கொடுத்து வந்ததுடன் இந்த இலக்குகளை அடைவதற்காக நாட்டிலுள்ள மற்றைய முற்போக்கு சக்திகளுடன் இணைந்து செயற்படுவதற்கும் தன்னை அர்ப்பணித்துள்ளது. இந்த அர்ப்பணிப்பின் பிரதிபலிப்பாகவே பிரயைகளின் சக்தி என்ற பொது அமைப்பு இந்த விடையங்கள் சம்பந்தமாக ஒழுங்கு செய்த கூட்டத்தில் நான் பேசுவதற்கு இணங்கியிருந்தேன். ஆனால் இக்கூட்டத்தில் நான் பங்குபற்றுவது திரு மைத்திரிபால சிறிசேனவை ஜனாதிபதித் தேர்தலில் ஆதரிக்கும் செயலாகக் சித்தரிப்பதற்கு முயற்சிகள் இடம் பெறுகின்றன.

தமிழ்த்தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பு ஜனாதிபதித் தேர்தல் சம்பந்தமாக முடிவொன்று எடுக்கப்படாத இந்நேரத்தில் இக் கூட்டத்தை தேர்தல் பிரச்சாரமாகக் காட்ட முனையும் பின்னணியில் நான் இக் கூட்டத்தில் நேரடியாகப்பங்கு பற்றுவது பொருத்தமற்றது என்று நான் கருதுகின்றேன். எனது இந்த முடிவில் ஏற்பாட்டாளர்களிற்கு இடைஞ்சல் ஏற்பட்டிருந்தால் அதற்காக மனம்வருந்துகின்றேன். எனது சார்பாக வாசிக்கப்படும் செய்தியில் நாட்டின் அனைத்து ஜனநாயக சக்திகளுடனும் தமிழ்த்தேசிய கூட்டமைப்பு பகிர்ந்து கொள்ளும் பின்வரும் மூன்று விடயங்களை வலியுறுத்துகின்றேன்:

1.அதிகாரக் குவிப்பு ஒரு மையத்தில் அரச அதிகாரங்கள் குவிக்கப்பட்டிருப்பதனால் நாட்டு மக்கள் அனைவருக்கும் ஏற்பட்டிருக்கின்ற பாதிப்புக்களில் மிக மோசமானவற்றை இன்று அனுபவிப்பவர்கள் தமிழ் மக்களே. நிறைவேற்று சட்டவாக்கம், மற்றும் நீதித்துறை உள்ளிட்ட சகல அரச அதிகாரங்களும் ஒரு குடும்பத்தின் கையில் குவிக்கப்படக் கூடாது.

2.பொருளாதாரத்தை தவறாகக் கையாழ்வதாலும், ஊழல் மோசடிகளின் காரணமாகவும் வாழ்க்கைச் செலவு வானளாவிற்கு உயர்ந்து உழகை;கும் வர்க்கத்திற்கு மேல் பாரிய சுமையை சுமத்தியிருக்கின்றது.
3.நாட்டில் சட்டம் ஒழுங்கு முற்று முழுதாக இல்லாது ஒழிக்கப்பட்டு குற்றச் செயல்களும் வன்முறையும் தலைவிதித்தாடும் சூழ்நிலை உருவாக்கியிருந்தது. இதற்குப் பொறுப்பானவர்கள் உயர் நிலையிலுள்ள அரசியல்வாதிகளால் பாதுகாக்கப்படுகின்றனர்.

நாட்டிலே உருவாகும் புதிய அரசியல் சக்தியானது இந்த தேசிய பிரச்சினைக்கு தீர்வு காண்பதற்கான வழிவகைகளை உருவாக்கும் என்று நாம் எதிர்பார்க்கின்றோம். 

JHU says Jayawewa Maithri!

December 3, 2014

• Strikes 10-point agreement deal with common candidate Maithripala Sirisena
• JHU okay with Ranil as PM in National Unity Government post-election
• Won’t agree with TNA politics, but can work together on good governance: Ranawaka
• JHU to boycott provincial councils and any other budgetary votes in parliament

JHU Leader Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera signs a 10-point agreement to officially endorse common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena

By Dharisha Bastians

JHU Says Jayawewa Maithri! by Thavam Ratna

BBS & Ravana Balaya With MR: A Caveat For The Sinhala Buddhists !

By Harishchandra Lokumanna -December 2, 2014

Harishchandra Lokumanna

It did not take long for the people of Sri Lanka to realize that BBS andRavana Balaya were both operational arms of MR and Gotabaya’s  Majoritarian agenda, which exposed  their joint  conspiracy to pinch the votes of  the Sinhala Buddhist masses by posing as their champion and suppressing  the just aspirations of the minorities of this country. BBS few weeks ago boasted that they will put forward their Sinhala Buddhist Champion Candidate and said that they were only waiting for the announcement regarding the common opposition candidate to do so. Our Cardboard Sando Gnanasara even sarcastically commented that no masculine figures with a moustache appear to be seen on the opposition side and only MR has a  moustache. That was the first indication he would have given to the country, as to who their choice will ultimately will be! However Alas! When the name of Maithripala Sirisena was announced, the wind was taken off their sails .We do not need any body language experts to tell us, that when he 

Gnanasara |Picture courtesy Foreign Correspondents’ Association of Sri Lanka Facebook page

announced that their secret candidate was none other than MR, their sponsor and patron-saint, Gnanasara’s face at the Press Conference, did not have the same level of confidence and buoyancy, as he had at his previous ones. He expectedly sang his favourite chorus by claiming that those who extended support to the President’s challenger are traitors and part of an international conspiracy against the country aiming to reverse the victory of war through foreign pawns and dollar-funded campaigns.

Any user of the Facebook will see the type of adverse comments about Gnanasara in many Sinhala Buddhist sites, which earlier portrayed him as Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Thero reborn. (My Foot!). Sri Sumangala Thero incidentally was known for taking down the Union Jack and re-hoisting the Sinhalese lion flag, before the Kandyan Convention that handed over control of the country to the British in 1815. Gnanasara is now being branded as a traitor, an opportunist and a mere fox in sheep’s clothing by many of his earlier Sinhala Buddhist followers, judging from sample FB comments .Read More

Hereunder are MaRa’s putrid files he relies on to threaten others

(Lanka-e-News -02.Dec.2014, 11.30PM) Following the mass exodus of high profile Ministers together with Maithripala Sirisena of the Rajapakse regime to join with the common opposition , Medamualana MaRa exclaimed ‘ I have all their files but I will not put them out just yet.’

Poor Medamulana MaRa did not realize , by saying that , he had only played into the hands of the opposition. Right now, Lanka e news inside information service is in possession of sordid details of files of MaRa’s lackey cum lickspittle ,Minister Wimal Weerawansa , and his henchmen. The whole country is aware , Weerawansa who was castigating the government publicly some time ago suddenly and most surprisingly did a U turn and began extolling Rajapakses when MaRa who was having in his custody the incriminating files of Weerawansa alias Modawansa and his henchmen, started holding out threats.

The File Nos. with the State intelligence service (SIS) are hereunder :

Wimal Weerawansa’s file

SIS personal file - No. 6622

Sub file - PIC 38923013

vehicle File - GK 6257 / NA 3971 / KD 3774

Piyasiri Wijenaike’s file

SIS Personal File - No 6960

Sub File - PIC 4665668

Muzammil’s file

SIS Personal File - No 7433

Sub File - PIC 3800315

Jayantha Weerasekera’s file

SIS Personal File- No 7208

Sub File - PIC 4665725

Wimal Weerawansa and his crooked team who paraded with pomp and pride earlier like the Sri Lankan cricket team following a victory after preparing a set of proposals and meeting the Mahanayakes, had to poke the same files into their orifices which stink even before opening , and surrender like beaten dogs wagging their tails and exhibiting their dog symbol before Medamulana MaRa , when these putrid files of their rackets were put forward by MaRa before them.

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by     (2014-12-02 21:56:08)

‘I was offered Rs 100 Mn to remain in Govt.' - 

Navin

By Dasun Edirisinghe-December 2, 2014,

UPFA Nuwara Eliya District MP Navin Dissanayake who crossed over to the UNP on Sunday said yesterday that he had been offered Rs. 100 million by the government to remain in the UPFA coalition.

Addressing the media at the Opposition Leader’s office in Colombo flanked by Opposition Presidential Candidate Maithripala Sirisena and UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Dissanayake said that he had been approached by three persons in a bid to bribe him into changing his mind.

"I am aware several billionaire businessmen are spending their money on behalf of the government to stop Ministers and MPs from crossing over and pledging their support to opposition presidential candidate," he said.

Asked whether they would stay with the government after accepting bribes, Dissanayake said people were different and some would not change their decision to join the opposition while some others might stay with the UPFA after accepting money.

"I could have increased my price if I needed, but I did not betray my policies to continue with a corrupt regime," he said adding that at present the government was in a very difficult situation due to its corruption and irregularities exposed by the opposition in the run up to the election.

Responding to a query as to why the UNP took 20 years to open a portrait of his father, late UNP leader Gamini Dissanayake at Sirikotha, Dissanayake said a photo of his father was there, but his family asked for a new portrait two months ago and present leadership allowed it.

UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said that late Gamini Dissanayake played a key role in 1977, 1982 and 1988 elections for the victory of the UNP.

He said that Dissanayake did tremendous work to make the Mahaweli accelerated development programme a success.

"Today, his son, Navin joined to support the opposition presidential candidate who is also a leader from the Mahaweli region," Wickremesinghe said adding that they would create a new political culture in the future with the Presidential Election victory.

Opposition common presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena said that Rajapaksa government did not give a rightful place to Navin, but he (Sirisena) had done justice to his father Gamini Dissanayake by continuing his work as the Minister of Mahaweli for 11 years.

Sirisena said that he welcomed Navin’s decision to support him at the presidential election.