Hitting back against remarks made at a press conference by UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake on Monday former UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa says as a member of parliament with 13 years of experience, he has no lessons to learn from the Chandrika Kumaratunga model of politics.
“When Chandrika Kumaratunga contested the Provincial Council elections, she was politically naive and had no previous experience. For 13 years I have been a member of parliament voted in by the people. What possible lesson could I have to learn from the Chandrika Kumaratunga model?” Premadasa said in a statement issued to the media yesterday.
Attanayake told reporters on Monday that contesting for chief minister of a province could be a good launching pad for a longer political journey, making reference to a recent request by the UNP Matara Working Committee for Premadasa to contest as the UNP’s CM candidate in the soon to be declared Southern Provincial Council elections.
Premadasa said he would rather pursue his political career in his individual style.
“I have no interest in becoming a joke by choosing a wrong model to emulate,” he said in a release.
Premadasa said it was ironic that those who were willing to sacrifice their lives for the party’s success were being told that they did not know how to share in both victory and defeat. “From the day I entered active politics in the UNP, there was never much occasion to share victories but we have certainly shared defeats with the people,” the UNP MP said.
He charged that those making allegations against him were also those who had suffered abject defeats in their own elections and have had to enter parliament through the national list. “I have entered on the people’s vote. Not on a piece of paper,” Premadasa charged, in a clear reference to the party General Secretary.
He said all those who were making suggestions about how he should contest in provincial polls were those who were not interested in UNP victories but in destroying Sajith Premadasa. “All I have to say to them is that even if they must assassinate or destroy me, please do not destroy the UNP, the party for which I will always have much love,” Premadasa said..
The UNP’s internal battles are raging once more following the party’s massive defeats at the provincial elections and are regularly spilling out into the public domain.
Safa / October 2, 2013
RW has not allowed any of the young turks of the UNP to make any progress. They have been kept permanently in the political wilderness. Now they are part of an aging impotent opposition like RW.
/
Citizen / October 2, 2013
Sajith Premadasa’s egoism is speaking and still living in a dream.
/
vx / October 2, 2013
That is right,sajith who didn’t even learn from his father,how can he learn from Chandrika.
/
Kamal / October 2, 2013
UNP dissidents shouldjoin Democratic Party
/
Gaje / October 2, 2013
The best that should happen is to kick Ranil, Tissa, Sajith and likeminded characters out of politics! We need honest (haha), committed and charismatic people who should come out and thrash all these guys out! MR must be laughing from his hindside in the divide and rule gimmick. If CT wants anything good don’t focus on them!
/
Gaje / October 2, 2013
Here we go again Mr/Ms. K.A Sumanasekera –
We all don’t agree with the spoilt brat with euphoria! However, your comments on caste, creed or religion is not on. You cleverly try to put it on the UNP hierarchy, but that is part of the chinthanaya boss you worship!! MR is the biggest caste and creed conscious man. We need to track the origin of all racist and caste conscious people’s origin with mitochondrial DNA! They may originate from central China or even Indonesia and even be aboriginal.
Of course Ranil is a jerk who has narrow vision of an autistic! I do agree that Ranil should not be .REPLACED BY Sajith, which a majority in this forum believes!
/
Prasanna / October 2, 2013
Sajith U have a lot to learn from CBK than your father. Her Father was in Politics from 1930s. He was fist leader of the House and became P.M with 2/3 majority after extensive experience. Her Mother too became P.M. with 2/3 Majority. She too became Prsident with almost 2/3 Majority. She & her family had polical experience with their blood.She did not give guns to Praba or LTTE to fight our own brothers & Sisters who were fighting terrorists. When she left she accumilated enough wepons to fight and win the terrorist.Your Father killed a lot of our innocent sinhale kids suspecting JVP i.e. Elpitiya.If You want to become the President, first try to become a Minister in a Provincial Cabinet. Your father entered Politics by Contesting Ruwanwella by losing diposit. U are trying Jump the cart before the Bull.U are trying to learn lessons from Jayasuriya who left the party with 19 and came alone sacrificing 18.
Fist of all you will have to amke an apology to CBK and other Party members.
/
Jinadasa Waduge / October 2, 2013
Sajith
Problem with you is that we don’t know what you stand for, other than that most of your utterances shows pure Sinhala chauvinism. Have you ever defended human rights, Independence of the Judiciary in a manner that is felt by people of Sri Lanka. What do you think of the way minorities are treated by Bodu Bal sena and other sinister movements with the blessing of the government. Why are you silent about the corruption of the government.( Is it because Premadasa family was not that innocent when it comes to corruptions) What is your economic policY? What is the exact difference between you and Mahinda Rajapaksa. Compared to you Mahinda is a better sinhala chauvinist and in that regard you cannot replace him.
/
Peace Lover / October 3, 2013
Anybody who says he does not need to learn anything from another is the BIGGEST FOOL and FOOLING THEMSELVES!
Everyone learns till their last breadth
Learning from Chandrika in not being power hungry (not abolishing the executve presidency) or learning from her not to be weak minded when under pressure is a starter for young man Premadasa!
/
Native Vedda / October 4, 2013
Peace Lover
“Everyone learns till their last breadth”
Not in this island.
/
clown / October 4, 2013
This explains how stupid this guy is. Having a ego is not gonna serve the nation but serve himself like de rajavassas.
/