The Colombo Telegraph today learns that the meeting sought by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa with President Maithripala Sirisena is to inform Sirisena that he would not contest the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The reason for the decision is the losing of priviledges that a former President enjoys, informed sources said.
The coalition of parties which have repeatedly called for the nomination of Rajapaksa as the Prime Ministerial candidate, are set to field Gotabaya Rajapaksa the former Defence Secretary as its main candidate.
The meeting which was first scheduled to be held in the first week of March was postponed due to non availability of Sirisena owing to foriegn engagements.
The brokers of the meeting, which include Kumara Welgama and Reginold Cooray earlier said the meeting was postponed due to official engagements of Sirisena.
Cooray however, last week said that dates have been provided and the meeting between the two would be facilitated forthwith.
If Rajapaksa were to contest the upcoming general election, he would lose all privileges accorded to a former President.
The recent passage of the 19th amendment and the shift in political popularity also may have cause the former President to concede contesting the general elections, sources said.
Non PhD / May 3, 2015
It will be good for Sri Lanka’s future if MaRa would really say ” I won’t contest”.
But at the meeting will he beg MS to allow Namal and or Gotha to contest under SLFP , so that he can be a puppeteer behind the scene side line MS and Chandrika, and make his son or brother capture the power within SLFP first and then to make one of the Ra s as executive PM.?
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Snowden Edward Asange / May 3, 2015
No the actual reason MR wants to meet MS is to beg him to save NR regarding the security guard of Namal who had a gun being present at the rally where MS was addressing.
http://www.dailymirror.lk/71027/gun-carrying-soldier-at-president-s-meeting-arrested
MS should be careful and start wearing a bullet proof vest, coz there are 5.8 million who hates him for being the President and harm can befall him anytime…whereby an uncertain situation can happen and the goons of MR may try pushing to bring their God to power…
Prevention is better than cure….
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Martin / May 3, 2015
The 5.8 million MR voters based their votes on extreme mudslinging and censoring state media which by now has disappeared. The number of MR supporters will have gone down for sure after some (extremely hypocrite) media suddenly started to adore MS. That is the biggest calculation mistake the Rajapaksa’s are making today.
Meanwhile Namal is purchasing twitter retweets to stay afloat. Not a single popular twitter account in Sri Lanka gets more than 30 or 40 retweets (such as BBC correspondent) but Namel always gets 150 … something that costs no more than 3 USD per 150 retweets. At least 35000 of his followers are fake. It is pathetic and strange no journalist reports about this!
Then why do the Rajapaksa’s get so much media attention? Because they are hilarious, pathetic, slick, corrupt, scary, murderous etc. That’s much more fun to write about than Ranil or Sirisena which really just have a fairly normal and personal life.
Again, there is a big role here for journalists, which still continue to write extremely unprofessional uninformed articles (see the average Daily Mirror articles) … so journalists … start ignorning MR, and start writing some articles that really count!
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Snowden Edward Asange / May 4, 2015
MS-MR meeting on Wednesday at Speaker’s house
The planned meeting between President Maithripala Sirisena and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to be taken place at the Speaker’s residence on Wednesday or Thursday, informed sources said yesterday.
Accordingly, SLFP MPs Dilan Perera, Mahinda Amaraweera and Lasantha Alagiyawanna had met President Sirisena on Saturday to discuss about the meeting. The MPs had reportedly told the President that the meeting between the two is essential in order to sort out the differences.
The MPs also highlighted the importance of sending a senior SLFPer to invite the former President for the meeting, such as the Opposition Leader, the General Secretary of the UPFA or the SLFP.
Meanwhile, five SLFP MPs Kumara Welgama, Bandula Gunawardane, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, T.B.Ekanayake and Gamini Lokuge are scheduled to meet on Tuesday to prepare the agenda for the Wednesdya’s meeting between the former SLFP President and the current SLFP President. – See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/71045/ms-mr-meeting-at-speaker-s-house#username
WHY would MS have to send an invitation to MR? REALLY now? He is irravelent…these morons who are hell bent on making MS meet MR are the ones who are scared to face the Bribery commission coz of their past deeds…and why at the Speakers house? IF MR wants let him come to MS ‘s house…IF MR was president would he not ask MS to come to his house? You bet he will. Now the loser uses his pawns to get his work done… MS SHOULD NEVER GO TO MR..LET HIM COME TO HIM !!!
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Humbug / May 3, 2015
How can MS or the SLFP or the Elections Commissioner permit either MR, GR or NR to contest when they have so many charges being levelled agaanst them? All these people have to account for their misdeeds and pay the price. The 20+ or any other Amendment should definitely bring in clauses not to permit any corrupt or charge sheeted persons to contect whether they are ex politicians or noth.
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Amarasiri / May 3, 2015
RE: Mahinda-Maithri Meeting – Mahinda To Say ‘I Won’t Contest’
Mahinda Rajapaksa is a liar, Crook, robber and criminal.
He sends Namal Rajapaksa and an Army Corporal, Senaka Kumara, a shill and criminal of Mahinda Rajapaksa, to a rally of Mr. Maithripala Sirisena, with a loaded gun, on the 26th of April.
He had carried out many illegal criminal activities for Mahinda rajapaksa. He has been taken into custody.
why not take Namal Rajapaksa as well>
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Amarasiri / May 4, 2015
Non PhD
“It will be good for Sri Lanka’s future if MaRa would really say ” I won’t contest”.
Mahinda Rajapaksha 2015 Election official theme song, for him to contest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KRfjNLEYAU
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punchinilame / May 3, 2015
If MR was the fist and main victim of the CHANGE that was initiated by the ideas of
Rev. Shobita and Prof. Kuamr David, it follows that none of the “old guard” will be
re-elected in a future Election – the least help sensible Voters can do for the
Countrys sake.
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Amarasiri / May 3, 2015
RE: Mahinda-Maithri Meeting – Mahinda To Say ‘I Won’t Contest’
“The reason for the decision is the losing of priviledges that a former President enjoys, informed sources said”
So what are the Shills and White-washers to do now?
“The recent passage of the 19th amendment and the shift in political popularity also may have cause the former President to concede contesting the general elections, sources said”
After 19A, can Gotabbel, the Foreigner, Contest?
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jansee / May 3, 2015
The 19A forbids a person with dual citizenship to contest. Probably Gota may relinquish his USA PR, not necessarily just to contest but setting foot in that soil may mean “unforseen circumstances” arising. Otherwise, he may have bolted long ago.
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lever / May 3, 2015
How can Gota contest when he is ineligible for being a dual citizen.
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maali karunaratne / May 3, 2015
Obviously he will give up the US citizenship
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paul / May 4, 2015
Fear not Gota and Basil in relinquishing US citizenship to contest elections: According to Ranil, Mangala, Anura Kumara et.al, two of you have billions stashed away in foreign banks. In the unlikely event of losing the elections, there are so many countries you you can buy citizenship with only a fraction of that money:
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/citizenship-for-sale-government-explores-pricebased-immigration-system-20150503-1myvwk.html
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PARAGON / May 3, 2015
FORMER MAHALOKKA MAHINDA IS BEST CHEATER.HIS IS TRIYING TO OBTAIN A PROMISE FROM MY-3 THE CURRENT LIENENT LOKKA TO DROP OR DELAY ALL CHARGES AGAINST HIM AND HIS FAMILY MEMBERS.HE WILL NOT OBJECT ANY ACTION TO BE TAKEN AGAINST PEOPLE LIKE WIMAL HORAWANSA,ETHANOL JONSTAN FERNANDO,MAHINDANANTHA SAADU,MIHIN SAJIN HORAWADENA AND OTHERS.HE IS USINIG THEM AS COVERS.IF MAHALOKKA SUCESSFULL IN HIS EFFORT HIS ALL FORMER GOLAYASS WILL BE CLEANED BALLED BY MY-3 THE LIENENT LOKKA.
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MrRetort / May 3, 2015
He will realize more groung realities soon and specially after the Parlimentary elections. Other supporters too would understand that and by that time they would thrown into wilderness.
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Amarasiri / May 3, 2015
RE: Mahinda-Maithri Meeting – Mahinda To Say ‘I Won’t Contest’
Sri Lankans need a New Sheriff.
They got a New Sheriff- Maitripala Sirisena
New Sheriff For a Few Dollars More – Clint Eastwood’s Entrance (1965 HD)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-k_BW8iLkk
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jinkers / May 3, 2015
If such a meeting is happen. Will anyone trust the scoundrel MR. This would be a temporary stop gap measure to keep his privileges. I am sure MS knows enough of the character of MR. We thought he would be in Jail by now charged with treason.
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Ben Hurling / May 3, 2015
Defeated King is one “Smart Patriot”.
For him the question is what’s in it for me?
Cheers!
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Sam T / May 3, 2015
“”For him the question is what’s in it for me? “”
The intelligentsia of India believe that there can never be another Gandhi.
Asians, Blacks and Whites comparing other new faces with Gandhi is the lie.
The rich always win no matter what the poor fools have to say.
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Snowden Edward Asange / May 4, 2015
IF the rich always wins, MR should of won against MS, didnt happen.. may be a rare instance where the VOTERS are supreme… the same voters would send the corrupt MP’s home at the next General Elections..whether or not MS and MR get on teh smae stage to promote SLFP… UPFA should be a spent force by now…IO wimale Vasu Dinesh…now have to scratch not only their heads, but also their balls…
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Amarasiri / May 3, 2015
Mahinda-Maithri Meeting – Mahinda To Say ‘I Won’t Contest’
“The coalition of parties which have repeatedly called for the nomination of Rajapaksa as the Prime Ministerial candidate, are set to field Gotabaya Rajapaksa the former Defence Secretary as its main candidate.”
Gotabaya Rajapaksa is Behind BBs and sinhala ravya…
Mahinda Rajapaksa will not admit…
https://www.facebook.com/AnverManatunga/videos/vb.283014815112033/823206157759560/?type=2&theater
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K.A Sumanasekera / May 3, 2015
Unelected PM Ranil says he will win the next Election.
He wants his party hacks to go to the Villages and start campaing.
He will create one Million jobs for the Dalits.
If it is anything like what he has done in the last 100 days.
It will negative job growth for the Dalits, as he sacked thousands from BOI, UDA and RDA.
Even stopped 8000 to 10,000 permanent for the Elite and many more thousands of casual and part time jobs for Dalits in Colombo, by cancelling Packers Crown Colombo.
Ranil boasts about reducing the price of petrol, when the crude oil price has halved from last year.
Ranil must be the best Stand up Comedian in Colombo.
In contrast 3 political parties have pledged that Mahinda Rajapaksa will be the next PM.
And Basil and Gota ill be in the cabinet unless Ranil does a Athurugiriya on Venerable Rathne.
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Snowden Edward Asange / May 3, 2015
RW as for now MAY not be elected but SELECTED by the PRESIDENT WITH THE POWERS VESTED TO HIM…MS could of SELECTED any from the parliament but he did not, so live with it..
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n. mithra / May 3, 2015
“Ranil must be the best Stand up Comedian in Colombo.
In contrast 3 political parties have pledged that Mahinda Rajapaksa will be the next PM.”
The writer forgets that the three parties are one-man parties. They are run very efficiently as they conduct their general meetings while travelling in 3-wheel vehicles.
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Shamil / May 3, 2015
Why the hell still going behind this thief? Is there anything that the thug has to deliver to SL? Maithree first should arrange a room in Welikada to Mahibola team. Then all the fools who go to Medamulana can divert to Welikada.
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Snowden Edward Asange / May 3, 2015
Exactly my concern. why does MR have to tell this to MS? the last meeting organized by Welgama was canceled stating that MR had prior engagements..well now its MS’s turn to turn his back on MR… Why would MS want to meet some loser who called him names and would have jailed not only him but also his family IF MR won..
Let bygones be bygones…now MR is Irrelevant,,he just wants to hold onto his perks and may be promoting GOATa to be the next PM..He is disqualified coz he is a dual citizen.. and GOAT had stated that he never want to be in politics…now that the flow of money to his accounts has drained…he wants it in a different way…ALL JARAPASSAS are crooks…
MS can spend the quality time in something worth while…
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paul / May 4, 2015
“Then all the fools who go to Medamulana can divert to Welikada”.
and that will be done in the name of Yahapalanaya so hold your fire…
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Native Vedda / May 4, 2015
paul
“and that will be done in the name of Yahapalanaya so hold your fire “
Probably not, however David Blacker would prefer to use shoot to kill policy on all Welikada inmates.
Would you like David to take charge of the prison while commanding STF?
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paul / May 5, 2015
“Would you like David to take charge of the prison while commanding STF?”.
That would be Yahapalanaya Supra edition. It is a matter of time, we all know it.
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Paddy / May 3, 2015
MR is an ‘also ran’ and as such he should be considered as one of the other defeated candidates. He most certainly is not entitled to any privileges afforded to retired former Presidents because he most certainly did not retire like all our former presidents.
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Gamarala / May 3, 2015
It was reported recently that Mahinada Rajapaksa had historically used and sacrificed others to establish his authority in the SLFP with following facts:-
1. In early 2000 MR facilitated the former SLFP heavyweight Ministers like SB Dissanayake, GL Peiris and others to join UNP. However after weakening the position of President Chandrika he remained in the SLFP.
2. In early 1980s MR backed Anura and others breaking away from the Mrs B faction but after weakening the position of Mrs B, he remained in the SLFP.
The present sequence of events appear strikingly similar. He uses people such as Dinesh, Wimal, Prasanna etc to destabilize the authority of President Sirisena in the SLFP and then remain as the saviors of the SLFP.
Probably the fact that President managed to obtain 212 votes to pass the 19A would have accelerated his request to meet the President.
People should realize that the current destabilization of the SLFP is happening at the very instigation of Mahinda Rajapaksa and if he stop this process SLFP will be more popular under President Sirisena.
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Matilda Ellepola / May 3, 2015
The dead UNP has risen like a Phoenix from the ashes when you watch this May Day Rally and if things are going to work., the former SLFP will be in wilderness for the next 20 years.
After the next elections, MS and RW need to cleanseup the system and get educated and accountable politicians as repsentatives of the people.
All these Rajapaksa goons should be investigated and sent for long jail terms and send a message to any aspiring politicians too.
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Off The Wall / May 3, 2015
The ousted criminals want to use Mahinda to regain power and escape the law. But Mahinda having robbed enough money to last for several generations wants only to save his own ass now.
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Billa / May 3, 2015
Gota to contest in the parliamentary elections ? ! Oh my god !!
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Cassian M Fernando / May 3, 2015
Maharajah has ar last realized that there is no chance at all for him to come back The Communists will learn a bitter lesson at the next elwections
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MsMaralathoni / May 3, 2015
CT please correct the Typo @
“he meeting which was first scheduled to be held in the first week of March was postponed due to non availability of Sirisena owing to foriegn “
This should be in May ?
Rome/Italy
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Snowden Edward Asange / May 3, 2015
actually the 1st meeting was canceled by MR which was arranged by Welgama in march or April.. now the 2nd is to happen in May…
MS should NOT meet MR.. waste of time and IF at all a meeting takes place where MR uses abusive language he should be arrested and jailed.. with follow up cases that would keep him in Jail and NOT the Prison Hospital.. This Prison Hospital thing has gotten to be the most stupid thing happening in SL right now..it’s a case of who is fooling who… not the Masses for sure…
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Ponkoh Sivakumaran / May 3, 2015
It is necessary for the government to identify what the privileges of former Presidents are. Why should Chandrika Kumaranatunge and Mahinda Rajapakse who have killed people and stolen from them be afforded any privileges at public cost?
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dcn / May 3, 2015
Maitree knows well the serpents and he will be careful in handling MR. The future of MR in politics will fade away with all these corruption allegations, investigations and exposures. However, MR will do all possible to sabotage the present administration which
too would fail as people start losing faith in him. The SHOP would rebuild with new leadership that would emerge in the new future.
The country would prosper without these pirates.
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Sengodan. M / May 3, 2015
Good that he has opted to keep out. There should be no way the worse scoundrel Gota be permitted to enter parliament. Is there a place for criminals and rogues in the parliament?
Sengodan. M
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Snowden Edward Asange / May 3, 2015
sadly MOST in parliament are criminals …ALL these goons SHOULD BE SENT HOME AT THE NEXT ELECTIONS….
The mistakes these idiots do will boomerang on the younger generation, coz all those in parliament would be dead by then, but the ones who live will have to pay for the folly of these idiots..
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Lasith / May 3, 2015
The writer has high lighted a crucial necessity in the long march to establishing good governance in Sri Lanka.
We as citizens should make a comprehensive list of all those holding political power and vet them, one by one. Obviously it will have to be through consensus and as much as possible, free from emotions and sentiment.
Those who fail should not even be given half a chance to ever represent the people in the future.
For example Mervin Silva: we all know him for the thug he is. He may also have some good qualities such as being a reliable hench man to his bosses and all, but that is irrelevant in the interest of the nation and the citizens. So by and large he has to be pushed out of politics. There are so many like him, who should all be relegated from politics.
On the other hand we have to shore up support people like Harsha De Silva who are not only educated, enlightened and honest but are genuinely interested in finding solutions to Sri Lankas problems.
The key to good governance is selfless politicians and citizens who are capable of identifying the selflessness in people.
Lasith
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Samuel Jayaweera / May 3, 2015
Hope greedy man would think twice.
Why should he be the candidate – there are enough candiates to represent the nation within SLFP ? What kind of popularity they have been talking here ?
With JK visiting country, former President may make almost any news to turn it in favour of his fielding. Stupid 5.8mios of people would only see one thing – that is all about Europe and America command the current rulers for a consipiracy. These fairy tales always worked with the same stupid folks again and again. They would never raise the question -what happened to Electrtic chair story in the defeat of MR in the last election:
Best thing is to do is to outreach masses by giving them more information about the ground realities fo the stories. Fact and figures of the day – should finally be made clear to the nation. Then those folks repeatedly cheated by Rajapakshe can think twice before going to vote Pro-Rajapakshe again.
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Supun Jayawardhane / May 3, 2015
If I were one of them, I would have taken every actions proving all the alleged frauds deliberately carried out by MR and his govt by abusing the poor mans funds. In that way, we could keep the man and his thieves in jail for the rest of life.
See, even those who went against – have made their mind up in terms of SF today. The very same would be reaction if the current rulers make every effort to find out the levels of all the high profile frauds that have been carriedt out by MR adminsitration.
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Jagath Fernando / May 3, 2015
MR days are gone for good.
Thank god
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Maghribi / May 3, 2015
Good riddance of bad rubbish.
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MrRetort / May 3, 2015
All he wants is his sons and siblings be given their prominence like during his days along with other BIYAS like WIHILU, GEMBAN, VASU and other written off jokers.
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InconvenientTruth / May 3, 2015
This kind of “CT also learns” reports are an insult to journalism even at the level of Colombo Telegraph type of non-journalism.
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CountryFirst / May 3, 2015
ISN’T THERE A LAW AGAINST HATE SPEECH IN THIS COUNTRY?
ISN’T THERE A LAW AGAINST HATE SPEECH IN THIS COUNTRY?
ISN’T THERE A LAW AGAINST HATE SPEECH IN THIS COUNTRY?
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION DOES NOT MEAN THE
KIND OF HATE GENERATED IN THESE COLUMNS.
WHERE HAS DECENCY GONE IN SRI LANKA THAT PEOPLE, AND PROBABLY EDUCATED PEOPKLE CAN GO ON IN THIS MANNER….ESPECIALLY ON WESAK DAY.
THIS IS DISGRACEFUL!!
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gage / May 3, 2015
My Friend,
If there were a law against hate speech MR would have been charged long ago. You talk about decency in Sri Lanka. You conveniently forgot
Sunday Sil, Monday Kill, not too long ago
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Lanka watch / May 3, 2015
Country first – Where has decency gone in Sri Lanka ?………… Its gone to dogs long time back from the days SWRD formed the govt. under the false pride of nationalism.
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mike / May 3, 2015
@CountryFirst
“IS THERE A LAW AGAINST HATE SPEECH IN THIS COUNTRY”?
Talk to Gandasara and he will tell you!
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Lanka Watch / May 3, 2015
The much publicised powwow between the present and former presidents
is not about how to handle the party or to discuss about MR’s political
future . It will be a frank discussion. The former will be asked to say what he wanted to do with the present President, if he lost the election and the current president will tell the former that with the passing of the 19A, all democratic avenues are closed for the former ruling family to re enter politics and grab power to reintroduce executive powers and that if he contested against the wishes of SLFP,
and the president ,what perks he will lose.He will be given the choice at this meeting.The president wants to be frank to save the reputation of the former, instead the former losing it after the election.
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