Kiriella justifies edging out Sajith as Minister in Attendance
Since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi only spent four hours in Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had given the time allocated for him to the opposition parties to discuss matters with the Indian Premier, Leader of the House, Minister Lakshman Kiriella said.
Wickremesinghe apparently discussed matters with Modi during their ride together to Colombo from the airport. “With this, Opposition Leader, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Leader, R. Sampanthan could spend more time with Modi. As we said earlier Wickremesinghe discussed matters with Modi while they were travelling to Colombo from the Airport and back.”
Kiriella said that Indian officials had asked Wickremesinghe to take part in all special events Modi attended in Sri Lanka.
It had been earlier reported that President Maithripala Sirisena appointed Minister Sajith Premadsa as the Minister in attendance to accompany Modi during the visit. However, Wickremesinghe acted in that capacity when Indian PM arrived. Wickremesinghe also shared a vehicle with Modi, and Premadsa had to follow them in another vehicle. Premadasa only could act in his capacity as the minister in attendance at the President’s House and at India House when Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa met Modi. During Modi’s return to the airport, Wickremesinghe again accompanied Modi.
Modi landed in Sri Lanka around 11 am on Sunday. After paying respect to the victims of the Easter attacks at the St. Anthony’s Church, Modi arrived at the President’s House where he was accorded a ceremonial reception. Modi also held talks with the Leader of Opposition Mahinda Rajapaksa and discussed the need for close collaboration between the two countries, especially in the field of counter terrorism, security and economic development. Later, a Tamil National Alliance delegation led by R Sampanthan also called on Prime Minister Modi and congratulated him on the latter’s mammoth election win.
(Source: The Island)
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Sagith would have loss his place because he sides with the President and not the Prime Minister, this is what happens when a person is ambitious
Of course,
Who wants Sajith P to be the presidential Candidate?
He has not worked hard towards it just as his Father did. In fact he is wimpier than his boss, Wimpy Wicks.
Last weekend, he went to Anuradhapura with few of his catchers and announce a Manifesto!
Does that conform to Party discipline? No, it doesn’t.
If Sajith P is to be a serious Presidential candidate, he should in the first instance, forego all his riches which his father acquired illegally.
Sajith P??
JR knew that it would be Premadasa who would be the legitimate successor. Premadasa went on to win the Presidential election and then cut Dissanayake and Athulathmudali to size, ignoring them for the Premeirship and opting for the more mild-mannered and malleable Dingiri Banda Wijetunga instead. And, now, under Premadasa, there was no vote for the deputy leadership either. It was the first step in the break-up of the mighty UNP.
Dissanayake and Athulathmudali, once bitter rivals battling to be the apple of JR’s eye, mended fences and joined forces to take on the might of the Premadasa regime, forming the Democratic United National Front (DUNF) and attempting to impeach Premadasa.
That was — and perhaps still is — arguably the most serious threat faced by the UNP since its inception in 1946. With the powers of the executive presidency behind him, Premadasa survived the impeachment and the one man who stood loyally by him then and steered him to safety was Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Hope Sajith P remembers that moment in history.