President Ranil Wickremesinghe says Sajith Premadasa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake must withdraw from the Presidential election and support him if they cant respond to some key questions.
He said this at the first “Puluwan Sri Lanka” election rally held in Anuradhapura, Saturday.
In his address, President Wickremesinghe stated that the country’s economy was not built by leaders such as Sajith Premadasa, Anura Dissanayake, Harsha de Silva, or Sunil Handunnetti. He highlighted that the significant economic progress in 2022 and 2023 was driven by his government’s provision of adequate fertilizer, which enabled farmers to achieve successful harvests.
The President also criticized opposition leaders Sajith Premadasa and Anura Dissanayake for speaking about the people’s hardships on political platforms, calling it ironic. He argued that if they truly understood the suffering of the people, they should have taken charge of the government and offered solutions to the nation’s problems.
“At a time when there was no electricity and everyone lived in darkness, no fuel forcing people to walk, no gas with cylinders exploding, no medicine leading to deaths on the streets, when hotels were closed and factories collapsed, I, along with the Prime Minister, took on the responsibility of leading the country. No one else was willing to step forward. The former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned, as did the former President. The Leader of the Opposition fled, and Mr. Anura Dissanayake was nowhere to be found. Where was Sajith Premadasa during this time? Where was Anura Dissanayake? If they were truly aware of the people’s suffering, they could have stepped in to take over the Government and address these issues,” Wickremesinghe, who is contesting as an independent candidate under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol said.
“I would like to question where Sajith Premadasa and Anura Dissanayake were when the price of a gas cylinder climbed to LKR 6,800. Why did they not take action at that time? We will continue to ask this question at every stage. They must provide answers; if they cannot, they should refrain from running in the election. I invite both Sajith and Anura to join us on either side of this stage,” the President added.
The President also warned that if the agreement with the International Monetary Fund is altered concessions given to the public could be lost.
“Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Sajith Premadasa have suggested changes that could lead to renewed economic problems, such as shortages of fuel, medicine, and gas.Therefore, I challenge Sajith and Anura to explain how they would address these issues. If such a crisis arises, they may again retreat from the challenge. The only team capable of saving the country is here with me today. I am here without party affiliation, focused solely on securing your future. We have a clear plan to develop the country,” Wickremesinghe added.
Meanwhile, the President also said he is committed to transforming Anuradhapura into a prominent Buddhist centre and re-establishing Maha Vihara University.