Courtesy Hiru News

In a recent development, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna leader and former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, along with national organizer Basil Rajapaksa, have raised significant reservations regarding their party’s potential support for current president Ranil Wickremesinghe should he choose to contest the upcoming presidential election.

These concerns were reportedly voiced during a discussion held with President Wickremesinghe on the night of the 7th March. The meeting also included Sagala Ratnayake, Senior Adviser to the President on National Security, representing the President.

The purpose of the discussion was to ascertain the stance of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party in the event of Ranil Wickremesinghe’s candidacy in the presidential race.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Minister Basil Rajapaksa highlighted discrepancies between the President’s positions and those of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, particularly regarding issues such as the privatization of national resources and the devolution of power. They expressed that such disparities posed challenges to extending support for the President.

Furthermore, they brought attention to a perceived lack of confidence among their party’s MPs regarding the fair allocation of ministerial positions following a potential victory. Despite their party’s representatives contributing to Ranil Wickremesinghe’s previous electoral success, doubts lingered among the MPs regarding equitable treatment.

The leaders of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna also referenced past instances of what they considered injustice towards their MPs during both the tenure of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the current administration. They pointed out that many district leaders within their party still lacked ministerial positions.

Former Minister Basil Rajapaksa emphasized the ineffectiveness of individual meetings between their MPs and Ranil Wickremesinghe as a method of expressing support. He dismissed the notion that MPs from the Samagi Jana Balavegaya party would join them.

In response, President Wickremesinghe assured that granting powers, aside from police powers, to provincial councils posed no issue. However, he maintained that the ongoing proceedings with the International Monetary Fund, limited the scope for altering the policy of privatizing public institutions.

Despite these reservations, former Minister Basil Rajapaksa conveyed that should the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna decide to support Ranil Wickremesinghe in the presidential election, he would commit to backing the effort, much like he did for the victories of Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa.