We will form a new alliance : Sajith Premadasa

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Another stage of the series of UNP rallies organized to express gratitude to the people who supported the party at the Presidential Election was held in Kelaniya today (January 05). UNP Parliamentarian, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka organized the rally. Speaking at the rally Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka explained why the UNP suffered a defeat at the Presidential Election. Sarath Fonseka: Our Government committed a number of mistakes by getting ourselves attached to the omen so-called "Yahapalanaya." By doing so we forgot the people. 99% of the responsibility falls on the former Prime Minister. We didn't stop giving out jobs. Several ministers gave out jobs. I know of one minister. He has filed a case citing that 1,500 employees working under his ministry have been let go of. The reason being, all the 1,500 employees belong to that minister's electorate. Our electorates and districts did not get luxuries like that. In addition, money was not managed properly during the election campaign. I hold former Prime Minister responsible for that as well. We were defeated in the Colombo District, the reason behind this was the mismanagement of money by the former Prime Minister. Rs 63bn was allocated for the North Central Province. The former Prime Minister has to understand that Rs 63bn cannot be allocated like that for one district. One can understand that even though he is an experienced politician, he could not understand the gravity of that decision. We had to face the unfortunate results of that decision. At the end of the day, our Presidential Candidate had to bear the brunt of those results. If this party wants to win an election or at least dream of a victory, the outlook of the party has to be changed definitely. People who hold posts have to be changed as well." Sajith Premadasa, Opposition Leader noted that they are not prepared to wait and if they do they will meet the same fate we encountered at the Presidential Election. Sajith stated that they will continue our political journey by forming a new alliance and added that they will not create a crisis within the party. He went on to note that they are not prepared to abandon their supporters or MPs by making promises and not fulfilling them. "I would like to publicly say that in this new journey, we have no room for any people who spend a luxurious life inside air-conditioned rooms while the people are suffering" the opposition leader added.