There is no bad feeling between President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), but the president and the ruling party are of two different political positions, SLPP leader Mahinda Rajapaksa said.
The former president told reporters Monday July 01 night at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Colombo that the candidate the SLPP opts to back at the upcoming presidential election will have to be someone who can work with the party.
“We’re democratic. We do something after discussing it with everyone,” he said.
Rajapksa had just returned from Beijing, having concluded an “official” four-day visit. In Beijing, he attended the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence where he was greeted by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Asked by reporters if there was bad feeling between the SLPP and President Wickremesinghe, Rajapaksa said: “There is no reason for bad feeling. Politically we’re of two different views.”
Rajapaksa recently spoke against the Wickremesinghe administration’s moves to restructure state-owned enterprises, claiming that a majority of his party are opposed to the “sale of national assets”, even as ministers representing the party continue to express support for ongoing reforms.
A number of prominent SLPP members including Power & Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry and MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage were seen at a political rally held in Matara on Sunday June 30 ostensibly as part of President Wickremesinghe’s election campaign, though he has yet to officially announce his candidature.
Asked for comment on the presidential election to be held between September 17 and October 18, Rajapaksa said: “We will put a candidate and see. Wait a little. The party hasn’t made a decision yet.”
“It is someone who can work with us that we can give it to. It must come from the people. Leaders come from the people,” he said.
He denied that the SLPP has already selected a candidate.
“No, not yet. Let’s see. Thee is still time,” he said.