There cannot be two leaders in a country – President
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday said there cannot be two leaders in a country.
“A country should be governed by one leader and he should be allowed to run its administration” the President said addressing an SLFP meeting in Nuwara Eliya yesterday. He further said he wishes to unite all groups in his plan to bring the change demanded by the public and that he will not entertain factions in the SLFP.
“Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga strove to bring out reforms through peaceful measures. She even became a victim of the violence unleashed by the LTTE. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa defeated the LTTE and introduced reforms to the country. I too was elected by the people of the country to bring about reforms. I should be allowed to do that,” the President told the SLFP activists in the Nuwaraeliya district.
“Our party had faced splits in the past. We all know what happened when we had to deal with divisions in the past. The SLFP will not be able to form a government as long as the party is divided,” President Sirisena said.
“There are some who talk about breaking away from the SLFP and contesting separately. They are betraying the party and its supporters. I do not want to sideline any person. But, if I am the party leader, others should cooperate with me and support my efforts to restore unity in the party,” he also added.
(Government News Portal)
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Sri Lankan constitution has provisions a post of Prime minister and president. If you say you cannot govern the country because of a prime minister who is the leader of the party with the majority of seats in the parliament, it is your problem. It reflects only your weakness.
Mr. President Sir,
We have a precedence. As head of CHOGM the Queen invited all heads of Commonwealth countries for the wedding of her son Charles and Diana. Hon JR Jayawardena and Lady Jayawardena accepted the invitation and readily proceeded to Buckingham Palace. But there was another leader in our country and Mr.Premadasa and his wife manipulating the foreign ministry officials obtained an invitation for them also. Thus Sri Lanka became the only country in the entire commonwealth to be represented by two heads.
Mr President,
By making this statement, about two presidents leading the country, you have already declared bankruptcy. At last you have admitted, that a another person is as powerful as you to be president.
The best way forward for National Hero, Mahinda Rajapaksa is to come forward on an independent platform with a minority leader such as Pillayan or Karuna.
The team must promise a constitutional amendment if elected, which will elevate the running mate (Pillayan or Karuna) as the country’s Vice President (we will still continue to have a pambaya as the President) with executive powers over all devolved entities (Provincial Councils).
This way, the Mahinda independent camp will gain significant majority vote in the North and East and when that is compounded with Mahinda’s 5.8 m followers who voted for him in Jan 2015, Mahinda, as Prime Minister, will be the uncrowned king.
You became the president with UNP votes plus you know what, so why don’t you try to be UNP leader and let SLFP unite? I don’t think anybody will follow you and join UNP leaving SLFP. It is just the hatred between you and MR create fraction within the party so you either manage it sensibly or leave like a gentleman.
Dear Sam,
Yours is a pertinent question and an equally pertinent suggestion. But Sirisenas from Polonnaruwa are born rajahs. as you know of Weli raja, kelaa ( forest ) raja , gaanu ( women) raja and another as Sri Lanka Telecom raja etc. Their raja blood seems to run in their family. So it is his pledge to seek , split and destroy his SLFP for the UNP to run the country whilst he and his brothers are firmly based themselves as Rajas of Polonnaruwa.