• Pledges to address issues in the district and serve the country
• Says a great responsibility placed on shoulders
• Assumes PM duties today at Temple Trees

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday thanked Kurunegala District Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) supporters for electing him with a record-breaking 527,364 preferential votes, the highest number of votes a candidate has ever received.

Issuing a statement, the Premier stated that he contested from Kurunegala during a challenging period and pledged that he would address issues in the Kurunegala District as he promised during the election campaign.

“This the ninth Parliamentary Election I contested in my five-decade-long political career. I decided to contest from Kurunegala District in 2015, which was a challenging period. The people in Kurunegala District placed their trust in me in 2015 and once again in 2020 with a record-breaking 527,364 preferential votes and I thank them for trusting me and electing me to Parliament,” he said.

Rajapaksa said that he had been able to identify issues in the Kurunegala District and pledged to address those problems during his term. He noted that all promises made during the election would be made a reality by establishing a new political culture in Sri Lanka.

“A great responsibility has been placed on my shoulders and I assure that I will serve the entire country and take citizens towards prosperity. I will work with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to fully implement his policy statement to develop the country.”

Rajapaksa was elected last week to the post of Prime Minister for the second time. He has served two terms as the Executive President from 2005 to 2015. Rajapaksa will go down in history as the first-ever Sri Lankan to become Prime Minister four times after serving two terms as the Executive President.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Rajapaksa will assume duties this morning at Temple Trees. 

Gamini Senarath reappointed as PM’s Secretary