Four coalition partners in the United People’s Freedom Alliance yesterday laid stress on the importance of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa leading the election campaign if the Alliance wants to secure victory at the forthcoming general election.

National Freedom Front leader Wimal Weerawansa, Democratic Left Front leader and MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara, MEP leader and MP Dinesh Gunawardena and Pivithuru Hela Urumaya leader Udaya Gammanpila MEP leader and MP Dinesh Gunawardena said that the choice of 5.7 million people who had voted for Mahinda Rajapaksa at the last Presidential election was not like the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe and as the UPFA had the majority in Parliament his appointment as Prime Minister was not constitutional. “This is the first time something of that nature has happened in the recent political history of Asia except Pakistan, where military governments have been in power,” Gunawardena said.

Addressing a news conference given by UPFA constituents backing former President Rajapaksa, MEP leader and MP Dinesh Gunawardena Gunawardena said they would urge the leaders of the UPFA to select former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Ministerial candidate at the next general election. They said that they are not prepared to betray these people by forming what they termed a national government.

Mahajana Eksath Peramuna leader Dinesh Gunawardena, Democratic Left Front General Secretary Vasudeva Nanayakkara, National Freedom Front leader Wimal Weerawansa and Pirithuru Hela Urumaya General Secretary Udaya Gammanpila were speaking at a media conference in Colombo yesterday. It was said in different quarters that a national government will be formed irrespective of which party wins or loses at the forthcoming general election. Going for an election will become fruitless if such a national government is formed, these leaders said. They said that their parties will not support the formation of what is termed a national government. These leaders added that the UPFA will have a Cabinet of Ministers and a Prime Minister, when the Alliance wins the election. The party that faces defeat at the election will have to remain in the opposition, they said. NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa said that the number of votes polled by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa will not change in spite of corruption allegations brought against the previous government before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.

He was of the view that more the falsehoods spread against the former President, more the support he is bound to receive from the public. He said the manner in which then Chief Justice Mohan Peiris had been removed from office and former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake reappointed as Chief Justice was unconstitutional. “The new government has shown callous disregard for the judiciary and a powerful Mafia consisting of lawyers recently ordered a judge to suspend sittings and walk out,” he said.

Democratic Left Front leader and MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara said: “We don’t need a national government. Mahinda Rajapaksa is our leader and he should be made the Prime Minister in a UPFA government to be elected at the forthcoming general election.”

National Freedom Front leader and former minister Wimal Weerawansa dismissed the interim budget presented by the Maithripala Sirisena government as a farce. Prices of most of the prices of essential items had not been reduced, he said. “It is the wish of the majority of the people in the country,” he said. “The hero has not died. He lives in the hearts of the people and fulfills the needs of the masses,” Western Provincial Councillor Udaya Gammanpila said. Udaya Gammanpila added, “We are not against President Maithripala Sirisena but the Prime Minister and we are fighting against the UNP.”