‘There is no reason for bad feeling with President’

There is no bad feeling between President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), but the president and the ruling party are of two different political positions, SLPP leader Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

The former president said at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Colombo that the candidate the SLPP opts to back at the upcoming presidential election must work with the party.

“We’re democratic. We do something after discussing it with everyone,” he said.

Rajapaksa had just returned from Beijing, concluding an “official” four-day visit. In Beijing, he attended the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, where he was greeted by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Asked by reporters if there was bad feeling between the SLPP and President Wickremesinghe, Rajapaksa said: “There is no reason for bad feeling. Politically, we’re of two different views.”

Rajapaksa recently spoke against the Wickremesinghe administration’s moves to restructure state-owned enterprises, claiming that a majority of his party is opposed to the “sale of national assets”, even as ministers representing the party continue to express support for ongoing reforms.

Several prominent SLPP members, including Power & Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, and MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage, were seen at a political rally held in Matara ostensibly as part of President Wickremesinghe’s election campaign.

However, he has yet to announce his candidacy officially.

Asked to comment on the presidential election between Sept. 17 and Oct. 18, Rajapaksa said: “We will put a candidate and see. Wait a little. The party hasn’t made a decision yet.”

“It is someone who can work with us to whom we can give it. It must come from the people. Leaders come from the people,” he said.

He denied that the SLPP had already selected a candidate.

“No, not yet. Let’s see. There is still time,” he said.