SL`s main opposition aims to capture power by 2014
Sri Lanka`s main opposition UNP said it would strengthen its grassroots machinery in a bid to capture power from the "dictatorship" of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
|Last Updated: Oct 20, 2012, 10:09 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Colombo: Sri Lanka`s main opposition UNP on Saturday said it would strengthen its grassroots machinery in a bid to capture power from the "dictatorship" of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and claimed that the present government would not serve its full term.
Addressing a party gathering in the central town of Kandy, United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe called for military discipline among the party cadres in order to fight Rajapaksa.
The next parliamentary election is not due until 2016 but Wickremsinghe predicts the government would not last its full term and there will be elections by 2014.
"What we are seeing today is a dictatorship. We have to strengthen the party grass roots machinery to capture power," Wickremesinghe said.
The UNP has spent all but two years in government since 1994. The party`s continued election losses are being blamed on his leadership. The UNP has suffered constant defections of its members to the government since 1994.
The opposition remains divided and fragmented as Rajapaksa continued to enjoy popularity among the island`s Sinhala majority community as a result of his military action which defeated the LTTE campaign for a separate Tamil state.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.