(Translated by : A.A.M.NIZAM – MATARA)

The convenor of the Joint Opposition and the Gampaha district Parliamentarian Mr. Prasanna Ranaatunga said that those who are looking out for a split in the joint opposition will face the same fate as the fox that went after the goat expecting THAT to fall down.

Addressing a gathering in the Divulapitiya area, he said that no one will be capable to halt the forward march of the joint opposition which is consolidating the growing confidence being gained from the people day by day.

Speaking further Mr. Ranatunga said that today’s biggest dream of those in the government is to find a division in the joint opposition.  They go to sleep in the night with the prayer to see a division in the joint opposition when they get up in the following morning.  But that dream is a dream that will never become a reality. The joint opposition is the true opposition that is represented by the common people of this country.  More than 90% of the representatives of the Local Government Institutions and the majority of representatives in the Provincial Councils are supporting the joint opposition. In addition to this the support of many political parties in the parliament and the support of the majority of the people of this country are with the joint opposition. This foreign slavish government is getting despised by the people day by day and on the contrary the popularity of the joint opposition is getting swelled day by day.  This cannot be stopped by anyone.

The biggest headache of the government is the fact of the joint opposition getting strengthened. I saw in the papers that some people when they realise that their dreams of joint opposition getting divided do not become a reality they get news items such as ‘the joint opposition gets divided’ published to get a temporary pleasure.

Their objective of doing such things is to show it to their leaders and get more and more perks and privileges.  But the people of this country cannot be fooled by such lies.  The people of the country now believe that it is only the joint opposition that can save this country from this coalition government.

Those who look forward with their mouths open for a division in the joint opposition do not see the divisions taking place within their side itself.  By now the government has got shattered completely. The behaviour of the government is just like a naked man laughing at a person wearing a loin cloth.

The government which has got sunk up to its neck is laughing at the joint opposition.  The people are fed up with the ‘fox dramas’ of this government.  This yahapalana government is a good example of the fact that although the power was obtained through lies that power cannot be sustained through lies. The leaders of the government who also look out for a division in the joint opposition will face the same fate as the fox that went after the goat expecting THAT to fall down.

During the time of the previous government what was much talked by the then opposition was about white vans.  The government which assumed power by misleading the people on the help of white van episodes has now introduced yahapalana white vans” to the country.  We ask on what yahapalana fundamentals that attempts to abduct student leaders in the broad day light by white vans come under.

In the past Sathosa was used to provide essential items to the people at concessionary prices.  Under the yahapaalana government Sathosa is now being used to distribute narcotics to the whole country. The containers that go to Sathosa now contain narcotics instead of sugar.  Today this government has become a government of narcotic kings.

Underworld Lords and Narcotic Kings have become the central players of this government.  The former Defence Secretary Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa completely eradicated the underworld and narcotic peddling activities.   What this government did immediately after coming to power was getting down the underworld gang leaders and narcotic peddlers who fled the country then fearful of Mr. Gotabhaya.

Now the government is compelled to endure the results of these things. Whatever the lightening that strikes that are not at all mindful for the Ministers who associate underworld gang leaders and narcotic kings.  What we feel sad about is that it is the innocent people who have been compelled to experience the adversities of these activities.

Good governance, human rights, democracy, media freedom are mere slogans used by this government to come to power.  Since a group of our own people got misled by these slogans it resulted in this country dipping into a deep abyss.

There is no dementia than thinking of building a yahapalana with the United National Party.  It is just like observance of ‘Sil’ by the tiger. The tiger will not forget the taste of blood even if it observes ‘Sil’. The UNP is also like that.  It was because of that we did not join for that marriage.

It is not a coalition government that is required for this country.  What is requires is a strong government steered by a leader with a firm backbone.  There still is such a leader among us in this country.  That is only Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa.  We do not puppet leaders.  It is for this purpose that the joint opposition has embarked on this journey.

Meanwhile, the Minuwangoda electorate SLFP High Command is to be dissolved and all are to join the Sri Lanka Podujana Freedom Party (SLPFP)

The transformation of the Minuwangoda electorate SLFP High Command as the Sri Lanka Podujana Freedom Party High Command will take place on the 29^th Saturday at the Reggie Ranatunga grounds in Minuwangoda under the leadership of the former Minister Mr. Basil Rajapaksa.

The Secretary to the Minuwangoda SLFP High Command the former Chairman of the Minuwangoda Pradeshiya Sabha Mr. Kumara Arangala said that they do not have any more faith on the Darley Road SLFP President and they have decided to continue their political activities by joining the Sri Lanka Podujana Freedom Party and get transformed theselves as the Sri Lanka Podujana Freedom Party High Command and to get involved in future political activities under their electorate leader Mr. Prasanna Ranatunga.

The SLFP High Command of the Minuwangoda electorate was established by the former Minuwangoda MP Mr. Reggie Ranatung when he was the SLFP organiser for the Minuwangoda electorate.   After his demise Mr. Prasanna Ranatunga, who was the Chief Minister of the Western Province became its Chairman.

After 8^th January 2015 when Maithripala Sirisena acquired the Chairmanship of the SLFP, Mr. Prasanna Ranatunga who was a staunch supporter of the former President Mr. Mahinda Raapaksa was removed from the post of SLFP organiser for the Minuwangoda electorate and the person who was appointed as the new organiser was not accepted by the SLFP High Command of the Minuwangoda electorate and they continued to involve in political activities with Mr. Prasanna Ranatunga.

Mr. Arangala said that accordingly that around 250 organisations consisting SLFP branches, Youth Fronts, Women’s Fronts, Farmers’ Fronts will join the Sri Lanka Podujana Freedom Party as its branch organisations.

The SLFP High Command of the Minuwangoda electorate is the first such organisation that unanimously decided to join the joint opposition formed under the leadership of the former President Mr. Mahinda Raapaksa. (niz)