{"id":133398,"date":"2014-11-22T14:05:15","date_gmt":"2014-11-22T08:35:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=133398"},"modified":"2014-11-28T15:48:36","modified_gmt":"2014-11-28T10:18:36","slug":"maithripala-is-the-best-candidate-prof-wijesinha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/maithripala-is-the-best-candidate-prof-wijesinha\/","title":{"rendered":"Maithripala Is The Best Candidate: Prof. Wijesinha"},"content":{"rendered":"

I believe Maithripala Sirisena<\/span><\/a> is the best candidate at this stage to take the country forward, UPFA MP Professor Rajiva Wijesinha<\/span><\/a> says.<\/p>\n

\"<\/a>

Rajiva Wijesinha MP<\/p><\/div>\n

Speaking to Colombo Telegraph, Prof Wijesinha said he believe that Sirisena is the best candidate because he has always responded to the issues he raised after the reconciliation meetings in the North and East and has been an efficient and committed Minister.<\/p>\n

“The president seems to think the purpose of the Presidency is to hold elections, whereas he should realize the purpose of elections is to choose a president who will govern,” Prof Wijesinha said.<\/p>\n

He said that President Rajapaksa<\/span><\/a> was repeatedly told in October to engage in reforms and fulfill the pledges of the last election, prior to holding an early election.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe won a great victory in 2009 over terrorism, but it should have benefited the Tamil people too, and empowered those abused by the LTTE. We cannot stand back and see it destroyed, and our forces exposed to unfair attacks with a Foreign Ministry unwilling to defend them and determined to destroy anyone who can defend them. With little effort to promote reconciliation and empowerment for the minorities and the deprived, we must concentrate on reconciliation, which is now ignored,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Prof Wijesinha was among the group of UPFA Ministers and MPs who quit the coalition government to join the common opposition movement to which includes Duminda Dissanayake, M.K.D.S Gunawardana, Dr. Rajith Senaratne, Arjuna Ranatunge and Vasantha Senanayake.<\/p>\n

During the media briefing held to announce the candidacy of Sirisena it was stated that more government ministers are to follow suit in the coming week and join the common opposition movement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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