RAJAPAKSA DEMANDS SNAP GENERAL POLLS
Colombo, Feb. 12: Former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday demanded a snap general election after his party pulled off a stunning victory in local elections seen as a referendum on the ruling alliance.
Rajapaksa’s new political party, Sri Lanka People’s Party ( SLPP), defeated President Maithripala Sirisena’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party ( SLFP) and Prime Minister Ranil Wick re me sing he’ s United National Party ( UNP), winning 225 councils or two thirds of the 340 councils which went to polls on Saturday.
The UNP won 41 councils while the SLFP was a distant third with just 11.
Rajapaksa’s good show indicates that he may return to the big arena after being sidelined with his January 2015 loss to Sirisena in the presidential election.
Buoyed by his success in the weekend’s local council election, Rajapaksa, 72, said the people have given the message that parliamentary election must be held now to bring in stability.
The next general election is scheduled to be held after August 2020.
The former strongman, whose nearly a decadelong rule was ended by Sirisena in 2015, alleged that the unity government of SLFP and UNP has not provided a political stability to the country.
Terming the local council election a referendum on the unity government, Rajapaksa said the voters have rejected the programme of the government and they have no mandate now.