Namal on the ‘conspiracy’ to topple previous govt and decision taken to prevent country’s collapse

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Parliamentarian Johnston Fernando claims that the SLPP has the ‘young leader’ which was demanded by the ‘Aragalaya’ protest movement.

Speaking at a public rally held in Divulapitiya to support the SLPP’s presidential candidate, MP Fernando stated that during the ‘Aragalaya’ protest movement, the activists demanded a leader who represents the youth and that the SLPP has now given them the opportunity to elect Namal Rajapaksa, who will become the country’s youngest leader.

Commenting further, he said: “Our candidate is not the same person who has been in the past. Over the years, Namal Rajapaksa has matured to become a more responsible person.”

Meanwhile, SLPP MP Thissa Kuttiarachchi, who spoke during the rally, mentioned that since certain people claim that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa cannot govern the country as he is old, they nominated a 38-year-old as their presidential candidate. 

“Now these people complain that he is too young for the role. Namal Rajapaksa is the only candidate and the leader who can recommence the development of the country initiated by his father”, he assured.

Addressing the rally, SLPP presidential candidate Namal Rajapaksa reiterated that the SLPP prevented the country from collapsing in the aftermath of the ‘Aragalaya’ protest movement in 2022, by letting Ranil Wickremesinghe take over the power.

“Many developed nations collapsed during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, we could have let the people die and taken measures to develop the country. Like some nations, we could have also taken the decision to refuse the import of COVID vaccines. However, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government decided not to let people die because of the pandemic”, Rajapaksa stated.

“In this backdrop, a conspiracy was in place against the Buddhist political camp of the country, which ultimately led to the collapse of our government. We had to decide whether to let the country collapse or the government to collapse.”

“What has happened in Bangladesh today? Their country has collapsed. Regardless of who comes into power, the Bangladesh state has already collapsed.”

“We formed a government with President Ranil Wickremesinghe and did not let the country collapse”, said Rajapaksa.