UNP ready for election under legitimate govt.

The United National Party (UNP) and its allies are ready for a general election under a legally formed government, ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.

They say a minority govt. can function but a minority govt. cannot function when there is a challenge

We like to assure that we are still committed to fulfil the objectives which we wanted to achieve in January 2015

Mr. Wickremesinghe expressed these sentiments during a protest rally held at Lipton circus last evening. “They say a minority government can function but a minority government cannot function when there is a challenge,” he added. We have challenged it and defeated it. We are ready to safeguard the sovereignty of the people. We are ready for an election after forming a legitimate government. We are not ready to go for a poll in an illegal environment. Let us form a government legally and then we are ready for an election. We also want a presidential election. We can discuss and decide on the election that could be held. We are ready for even both elections,” Mr. Wickremesinghe said. “People expected a new era in January 2015. We launched a programme to ensure democracy, to develop the nation and to provide employment. People’s expectation was a bright future. Today they question about their future. They ask us as to what is going to happen to our nation.

They ask as to whether democracy could be ensured in this nation. They say they have become helpless. We like to assure that we are still committed to fulfil the objectives which we wanted to achieve in January 2015. We have not moved away from fulfilling these objectives though the President had distanced himself from these objectives,” he added. “The people of this country had exercised their franchise and elected governments for the last 85 years. They elected the UNP, SLFP and MEP. They experimented and saw who is going to be good for them. Government in any country comprise of those who are elected by the people. If they are going beyond people’s mandate they question. We are committed towards fulfilling the wishes of the people.

Leaders of this country and even the queen during the colonial period worked with the legislature.

We brought in 19th Amendment and strengthened Parliament. However the present president had kicked Parliament aside. He tried to appoint Mr. Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister while I was in office. He then prorogued parliament when we opposed the move to appoint Mr. Rajapaksa. Speaker then said a vote would be taken up to decide as to who would hold the premiership.

Parliament was dissolved and then Supreme Courts issued an interim order.

The Speaker went ahead with a move to see who has the majority in the House. Mr. Rajapaksa should have moved a confidence vote if he has a majority. Anura Dissanayake moved a no confidence motion. Majority approved it.