Hold an election first: SJB tells President 

• Stresses fresh mandate is necessary if SJB is to support Govt. 
• Says calls to join those who bankrupted the country to now rebuild it is farcical joke
• Calls on Wickremesinghe to end the deal struck with Rajapaksas 
• Accuses President of avoiding discussions despite repeated requests to opposition to join Govt. 

The main opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) yesterday urged President Ranil Wickremesinghe to hold an election prior to requesting the support of the party to rebuild the nation. National Organiser of the party MP Tissa Attanayake said it was imperative to obtain a fresh mandate before engaging in any collaborative effort. 

Attanayake was responding directly to President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s recent public call for Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and the entire opposition to assist in the country’s rebuilding efforts. “Join us at least now to resolve the issues faced by the people. You can contest the Presidential election thereafter. We too will support you. Let us all come together,” Wickremesinghe had said on Monday.   “If your invitation entails us joining those who brought this country to the brink of bankruptcy it’s nothing short of a farcical joke,” Attanayake said. “If the President is truly keen to create an atmosphere in which we can work together then a fresh mandate from the people must be obtained and an election be held,” he added. 

“We do not wish to be the crutches of the Pohottuwa. End the deal with the Rajapaksa rogues and dissolve parliament,” SJB MP Nalin Bandara demanded. The MP said the President must hold a general election and allow for a new parliament if the SJB is to extend their support to the Government. 

Also commenting on the matter, General Secretary of the SJB MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara said the President has continuously avoided discussions with the party despite his public requests for support. “He is afraid to hold discussions,” he claimed. The MP said if the President presents a plan the party is willing to discuss it. “We are keen to know what he intends to discuss with us as well,” he noted. 

SJB MP S.M. Marikkar said the President’s statement is clear that Wickremesinghe will not contest the next Presidential election. “He is claiming he will go home after extending his support to Sajith Premadasa. Pohottuwa does not understand this,” he claimed.