SLPP Will Bring Own Candidate for Presidential Race - Udayanga

COLOMBO (News 1st);  Former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga has declared that the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) will field its own candidate for the upcoming presidential election and will not nominate incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Weeratunga, a prominent figure within the SLPP, delivered a scathing assessment of Wickremesinghe's performance, stating that he has "no faith" in the President's ability to revive the country's struggling economy. 

He blamed the "Government of Good Governance," led by Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP), for Sri Lanka's current economic woes, particularly the sharp rise in debt during their tenure from 2015 to 2019.

"It was during the Government of Good Governance that the debt burden spiked," Weeratunga remarked. "Our party had selected the President, and thus there are times we have to support him. However, I have no faith that he would revive the economy. He can do something by the 2040s if he stays."

He expressed hope for parliamentary elections before the presidential race.

"The SLPP will put forward a SLPP candidate," Weeratunga declared. "Ranil Wickremesinghe will not be nominated by the SLPP. I can assure you that Ranil Wickremesinghe will not run for President. We hope for parliamentary elections before that."