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| Sunday, 4 September 2005 |
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Politics |  |
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SLFP, JVP will consolidate Mahinda's victory - Maithripala Sirisena by Anura Maitipe All patriotic political parties will forge a common agreement before the nomination date of the next Presidential election to support the SLFP Presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapakse to consolidate his victory in the next Presidential election, Mahaweli, River Basin Development Minister and the General Secretary of the SLFP Maithripala Sirisena told the Sunday Observer. He said that discussions held between the JVP and the SLFP were very fruitful. And the discussions held between the JHU and the SLFP also ended in a friendly manner. As far as policies are concerned there is not much difference between the JVP and the SLFP and both parties are fighting for a common goal,the Minister pointed out. "Therefore, coming into a common agreement between these two parties is not that difficult and I am sure the SLFP and the JVP with all other patriotic forces will consolidate the victory of the SLFP Presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapakse in the forthcoming Presidential election", he added. "Even in the previous elections voters had signified that they always preferred to have a patriotic leader who could grasp the heart rending problems of the ordinary people of this country. Against this backdrop the SLFP Presidential candidate Mahinda RaJapakse is a pure, indigenous product who could grasp the need of the common people in this country", he said. I do not say that the UNP had not produced such leaders in the past. Of course, they had but unfortunately the present UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is not in that category. When someone goes through his election promises during the past elections, he himself has proved his identity", he further added. It was Wickremesinghe who promised to put up an Airport in Wellawaya to air lift Sudubanda's agriculture produce to Singapore, and Sudumenike was promised bubble-gum, the youth bracelets, girls, jeans. Finally he urged the farmers to do away with betel chewing and to have chewing-gum. This was how Mr. Wickremesinghe tried to fool the voters during the previous election, he added. "The latest election pledge of the UNP is that they would bring down the cost of living and provide more employment opportunities. It was a known fact that during the past five decades the cost of living was on the rise. During the UNP regime in 2003 the world oil price stood at USD 29.29 but now it has reached the record price of over USD 70," he pointed out. "It was very clear that even under the low price of oil the UNP government could not control the cost of living. When the UNP could not do it earlier how could it do so now. The UNP leadership is well aware that they have no other issue to muster support of the voters in the coming Presidential election. Therefore, they have clung on to the hundred metre buffer zone and the cost of living to gain power", he noted. In spite of this soaring oil prices, the UPFA government has provided employment opportunities for over 60,000 youths including 40,000 graduates. During the previous regime the UNP leadership failed to provide a single job for graduates. Then his excuse was that the Treasury had no funds to pay for new recruitments. But he granted tax amnesty for the biggest tax evaders in the country who would in turn contribute to the UNP election campaigns, he emphasised. |
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