"Mahinda has told me to get ready for post of President" -- Gotabhaya

"Mahinda has told me to get ready for post of President" -- Gotabhaya

Former Secretary of Defence, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa having mentioned that he is ready for the Presidential Election ... he has been subjected to discussion among the media and has given an interview to a weekend newspaper about his statement and the forthcoming political stability. Some of the ideas expressed by him is as follows:

Q: For the first time you said that if  the masses are ready, I too am ready. Is there a special

reason for you to say something like this?

R: There was a big problem about this on this topic for a long time. I don't know how it came about. There was an opinion that I should come forward for Presidential Elections. Many people told me. That request came from people from all fields of society, irrespective of class distinction. That is the true story.

Q: You are now ready?

A: I am of course not a politician, no. Though I come from a political family, I have not done Politics. When you are in the Army, you can't do Politics. When I am engaged as a government servant I do Politics. But I have shown that I can show my prowess. Maybe because of that, there is a big demand from the public. But I had personal problems also, no.

Q: What about American citizenship?

A: Yes ... that issue has to a large degree been solved. It was after it was solved that I said, 'yes, if Sri Lanka need me ... I am ready'.

Q: When questioned from Pohottuwa members about the Presidential candidate, they decide that it is former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

A: It is like this. There are points that play a role when taking such a decision, no. Now you also are saying a thing like that. Yes ... it is President Mahinda Rajapaksa who will decide on that.

Q: Is it with blessings of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa that you said you are ready?

A: President Mahinda has told me to get ready for this. So he must take a decision and give an opportunity for candidacy. Then there is a common Opposition, no. That Common Candidacy should have a consent for this, no.

Q: Is that consent ... definite?

A: MPs of the Common Opposition ... particularly the young crowd ... everyone tells me, 'it is you who must come'.

Q: Though you say so, member of parliament Kumara Welgama does not like you coming. Member of parliament Vasudeva is proposing Chamal Rajapaksa's name.

A: This is a democratic country Everybody does not agree on one opinion hundred percent at once, no. There are various opinions, discussions. Whatever anybody says, it is a candidate who can win who should be brought forward.

Q: Then what about the consent of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party?

A: Yes now we are working together with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, no. Should secure the co-operation of that party also.

Q: Is it not possible that President Maithripala Sirisena also will be coming forward at next Presidential Election?

A: Those are the factors that we have to solve. When President Maithripala came, he had first of all told that he is not prepared to remain after one tenure.

Q: But then member of parliament, Mahinda Samarasingha said in public that their candidate is Maithripala Sirisena?

A: Those who are around President Maithripala Sirisena may be encouraging him. But he also has an understanding about Politics. So it must be thought of as to who the most suitable person in this instance. It is focus that should be made on the Common Candidate in this case. A decision should be made on the person who can steer this country forward with good principles and the person whom the public wants. In the same way, there are patriotic people in the United National Party ... people who think of taking the country forward.

Q: Are you getting their support?

A: They talk with me. Definitely I will be getting their support. We should go ahead by getting together with all such factions.

Q: Was Viyath Maga, Eliya ... were all those projects launched with this purpose itself?

A: No, no. We should subject reasons for our defeat to a survey, isn't it? Likewise we made a work procedure as to how we can plan out what the country wants, a victory necessary for the country. Organisations such as Viyath Maga and Eliya were born for that purpose.

Q: Minority votes are essential in the case of a Presidential Election. What is your estimate of securing their support?

A: I don't think it's going to be a problem. even I can secure the number of votes of the minority by any person who contests from the Common Candidate label. What I think is that I can get more.

Q: Such a level of an estimate?

A: Yes ... what is always said is that in order to solve problems of the minority ... that they should be released from their financial burden.That then is my opinion. It was with that motive that we introduced 'Uthuru Vasanthaya', 'Negenahira Navodaya'. It was done to develop those areas. But unfortunately those political leaders professed wrong opinions. But still for all, that public see reality.

Q: The government brought the 19th amendment and and several steps were taken in the direction of democracy, isn't it?

A: Look at the 19th amendment you are speaking of. What country makes an amendment of the constitution by basing it on one family? ... for President Mahinda Rajapaksa being prevented from contesting again ... to block me because I had the dual citizenship. So, these were brought forward with one family in mind. as such, the country has been put into a complicated and unstabilised situation like this.

Discussion: Prasanna Sanjeewa Tennakoon (Sunday Island)