Not aware of advertisement: SLPP

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) yesterday said it was not aware of the recent newspaper advertisement which said several army officers had pledged their support to SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa at this year’s presidential election .

In response to questions raised by journalists on this advertisement, SLPP presidential candidate spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said, “we are not using anybody for political campaigns, but if some individual has made a comment that has to be dealt by the Election Commission. I didn’t see it but as far as our campaign is concerned, those sort of claims are not included.”

“If it’s in the social media, if one is suspecting that it is ours or it implies that it is ours, we don’t take any responsibility for it,” he said.

Further elaborating on this issue MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said “We have no intention of doing such things. Because this country knows who won the war and who was involved with it. I really don’t know about this advertisement but we are not prepared to use that for political purposes.”

Moreover referring to the National Election Commission (NEC) and its statement which said it was prohibited to use war and warvictory for the presidential election campaigns, Mr. Yapa said they were not going to use their military victory for their gain because the people were aware of it.

In addition when the issue of national security was discussed, Mr. Keheliya said that national security was an ongoing issue and that the whole country had experienced lack of national security during recent events.

“Therefore this is a serious issue that needs to be discussed on the platform,” he said.