Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa will announce his future plans tomorrow (July 1). The former President’s office yesterday invited the media to Weeraketiya, Medamulana for the first official media briefing given by the former President since his defeat at the January, 2015 presidential election.
A spokesperson said that a special announcement would be made regarding the former SLFP leader’s strategy.
President Maithripala Sirisena met his predecessor late last week at the President’s Wijerama Mawatha residence though both parties denied having had a one-on-one at the official residence of the Speaker. SLFP seniors remained tight-lipped about the former President’s strategy. (SF)
Ranil challenges MR to defeat him
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe challenged former president Mahinda Rajapaksa to defeat him if possible after securing the prime ministerial candidature.
Unless he can take up this challenge, Mr. Rajapaksa and his henchmen should stay confined to their houses and not contest, he said.
He made this observation at a meeting in Dambulla.
“I do not know whether he will accept the challenge or run away from it,” he said. He said LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was no longer there to bail out Mr. Rajapaksa at an election. He said he was ready for the electoral battle.
Ranil throws open challenge at Mahinda to abolish executive presidency