July 16, Colombo (LNW): State Minister Lohan Ratwatte’s recent comments regarding the candidacy of National Peoples Power (NPP) Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the Presidential Election have drawn condemnation from Opposition MP Eran Wickramaratne.
During a rally in Kandy, State Minister Ratwatte stated, “Has Anura Dissanayake constructed even a small culvert for the people? We won’t allow him to become President of this country as long as I am around in politics.“
In response, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Eran Wickramaratne criticised the statement, highlighting its dangerous implications given Sri Lanka’s history of election interference and violence.
“No politician has the right to ‘allow’ or ‘not allow’ a candidate to be elected,” MP Wickramaratne asserted in a statement. “While I disagree with the policies of NPP and believe that Sajith is the election frontrunner, such statements have dangerous undertones considering SL’s history of election interference and violence.”