Daily NEWS Srilanka

President Maithripala Sirisena making a special speech this evening said that though he was totally

He said that just as much as the defeat of January 8th, Mahinda would lose this General Election too and that even if Mahinda would manage to win, there are enough suitable candidates to be made the Prime Minister. He further said that he has no necessity to resign on his own and if he did resign Mahinda would be giving nominations to everybody whom he desires and that it was thwarted by him. "I have no dealings at all with Mahinda" and also said that he would be absolutely strict at this General Election.

He further said that he would keep the promise made on January 8th and appealed not to misuse democracy which was won. The President mentioned that there was a plan to bring a no-confidence motion against Ranil some time back and and to defeat Ranil's administration and thus for Mahinda to enter parliament through the National List; to establish a government all of which he came to know of. This he said was the reason as to why he dissolved parliament before 20 was brought in. The following too was mentioned in President's speech:

                                   "There wasn't any other President who came under attack as I was. I was accused by saying, wicked man, betrayer. The freedom for newspapers to publish these things is there in our country. What I tell those who call me betrayer .... is to practically inquire as to what extent of democracy is there in our country today. If the former President was addressed in this manner before January 8th .... I need not say what would happen to them.

I asked Prime Minister Mr. Ranil Wickremasingha 'isn't it better if Head of Central Bank Arujun Mahendra resigns?' In the instance when the Bond issue of the Sri Lanka Central Bank cropped up what I told Premier Ranil Wickremasingha was .... 'you have a good name in this country'. Therefore, for this bank chief to resign on his own. Mahinda Rajapaksa will face defeat in future right along. Will lose again. Just as much as he lost on January 8th, I vehemently opposed Mahinda Rajapaksa being given nominations. I mentioned about it to people like Dinesh Goonawardena, Vasudeva Nanayakkara. The fault is not with Mahinda Rajapaksa .... it was the fault of the system adopted by J.R. (Jayawardene). Don't blame each person. The fault is in this system.

The UNP was unable to gain victory at General Elections in 2010 .... was unable to protect the two Seats won before that. I am not a prophet. But I can say what will happen in future by basing it on history. I didn't have the necessity to divide and destroy the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. I didn't even take steps to leave the position of Chairman of the Party. I expressed in documentary form my protest against giving nominations to Mahinda Rajapaksa. What I want is a parliament that would take my policies forward. It was on that promise that the election of the 8th was won. On that occasion I did not think of what the Party was. I did not wish to see Mr. Ranil Wickramasingha's administration drown. It was because of that, that I dissolved parliament after the no-confidence motion was brought forward against the Prime Minister. Their strategy was to make Mahinda Rajapaksa a Member of Parliament from the National List from the United People's Freedom Alliance and to hand over the Premiership to him. I defeated all such efforts. I am open to criticism .... I like criticism. What I want is a General Election ..... not a Party that is striving to win an election. I want a government that adheres to enforcing policies given to the country on January 8th.

I have no cordial relationships with Mahinda Rajapaksa. My standpoint against him is as before. There's no change in that. I am against Mahinda Rajapaksa. Mahinda Raapaksa is now trying to become Prime Minister. If the SLFP wins the election .... there are plenty of seniors to be posted to the position of Prime Minister. I will follow a middle path in this election. I'll help those in authority to conduct a justified and free election.

Don't lose the democracy which I have won on your behalf. Don't kidnap democracy".