The man behind the decision to form the new alliance was Nimal Lansa
Eight cases were filed against us and we won all of them
Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva says addressing the inaugural rally of the SLFP’s new alliance
The first public rally of the new alliance led by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party was held in Ambalantota town on Saturday (8) afternoon.
A noteworthy feature of this public rally held under the theme “For the victory of the country lets forge ahead in unity”, was the participation of 21 Members of Parliament (MP) representing various Parties. Also, 5 MPs currently abroad have informed they will join this alliance in the future.
The meeting organised by Hambantota District MP, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Senior Vice President and Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, Mahinda Amaraweera decided that only those from the Hambantota District would participate, and barring those from other Districts.
Minister Amaraweera refused to accommodate the rest of the MPs appeals to permit people from other Districts to attend the rally.
All the speakers who addressed this meeting referred to the Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva as the leader of the SLFP.
The meeting started around 2.30 pm and continued till 5 pm.
MPs Nimal Siripala de Silva, Mahinda Amaraweera, Duminda Dissanayake, Susil Premajayantha, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Nimal Lanza, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Muslim Congress MP A. H. Musharraf, Ali Sabri, Advocate Premanath C. Dolawatta, Suren Raghavan, Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, John Senaviratne, Udayakanta Gunathilake, including 21 MPs and 100 Organisers including SLFP District leaders participated as Chief Guests at the meeting.
The first rally of the new alliance is a success
– Susil Premajayantha
Minister of Education Dr. Susil Premajayantha addressing the meeting said, “The first rally of the new alliance is very successful. Today, a large crowd is participating in this meeting.
I am thankful to Minister Mahinda Amaraweera for organising this rally. Also, it was wrong of the former SLFP President to remove this group from the Party. They were removed because under the advice of some MPs who were appointed under my signature in the UPFA.
So you can expect good games in the future. I will take a decision regarding that. Now those people are challenging that they are contesting the Presidential election. I challenge them to come forward and try.
Our Party was the decisive force at past Presidential Elections, hence the Presidential candidate we support will win
– Duminda Dissanayake
SLFP Secretary General MP Duminda Dissanayake addressing the meeting said that, the SLFP is the home of all of us gathered here today. We are all SLFPers. There was a problematic situation in the SLFP recently. Now it’s all over.
There are members of the SLFP in the UPFA. Therefore, no one can forget that we are the SLFP. Also, our party was the decisive force in all the past Presidential Elections.
Therefore, in the upcoming Presidential Election, the Presidential candidate we support will win. Also, in the General Election that will be held after that, we will win more seats as the SLFP. Its first battle is starting today.
Now anyone can join this new alliance without any fear or doubt
-Nimal Siripala de Silva
Minister of Ports and Aviation and SLFP President Nimal Siripala de Silva addressing the meeting said that, “Today is a historic day. And this new alliance started today is historic. Especially, a new alliance of people coming together hoping for a change the country.
It was decided to form this alliance long ago. But the former President of our Party Maithripala Sirisena abandoned his responsibility by this alliance day by day. Not only that. All the members of the Parties including the UPFA said that Maithripala Sirisena cannot be trusted.
They also said that this alliance can never be formed with a person like Maithripala Sirisena as the leader of the Party.
But today it’s all over. Now the SLFP is in our hands. So now everyone has come to this new alliance without any fear or doubt.
Also, we asked Minister Mahinda Amaraweera to allow people from other Districts to participate in this rally. But he said no. We will hold the first rally in Hambantota to show our strength. He has shown his strength. This public rally today shows how much faith the people of Hambantota district have in him.
Also, we will hold the next meeting of the new alliance in Monaragala and then Badulla and in every District.
I would also like to say that we are bringing more and more people to all those meetings.
We are forming this alliance to win the upcoming elections
-Chamara Sampath Dassanayake
Minister of State, MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake addressing meeting said that, “I want to say a word about this public rally today. Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, a little man of Hambantota District has done a great job today in this meeting at Ambalanthota. I declare that Mahinda Amaraweera, who is not even as tall as two oranges, is Hambantota District’s cleverest man. We are making this alliance with the aim of winning the upcoming elections. JVP and SJB held meetings here. But such a crowd did not participate. We were waiting for Sajith and Anura’s debate on TV. Finally, Anura went to the ITN alone. But Sajith escaped from the so called debate.
Sajith is talking about the Economy today. Sajith knows nothing about the Economy. What did he do as Housing Development Minister during the Good Governance period? He gave two cement bags to build houses. Can houses be built with two cement bags? He is a man who does not know the number of cement bags needed to build a house. How can he become the President of this country and solve it’s problems.
The people of Hambantota always trusted me
– Mahinda Amaraweera
SLFP Senior Vice President, Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries Mahinda Amaraweera addressing the meeting said that, “This rally is being held today to show the strength of our New Alliance led by the SLFP. First of all, I pay my respects to the people of Hambantota who have always trusted me.
I have never made any political decision wrong. I did not make those decisions on my own. You all know that I have always taken political decisions after consulting the people of Hambantota. You are the ones who tell me whether my decision is right or wrong.
You all know the situation of the country two or three years ago. People died in fuel queues. People died in gas queues. There was a huge shortage of food in the country. Because there were no tourists, all the hotels in the country were closed. At least there was no money in the Treasury to buy the medicinal items. Unable to find US$ 50 million, the oil ships that came to the port turned back.
Farmers were not in the fields without fertiliser. They are protesting on the roads.
Vehicles were parked near petrol sheds for weeks. It was at such a time that Ranil Wickremesinghe took over the country as President. We supported him. We told Sajith and Anura to take over the Prime Minister-ship. They said “No” and ran away.
But President Ranil Wickremesinghe, whom we supported, has made a big difference in the country today. If we try to change this course, the country will fall again in a way that cannot be rebuilt. Therefore, the Presidential election is coming soon. After that, the General election will be held. We do not believe that the SJB or NPP can find answers to the problems in the country. I fulfilled my responsibility, fed the people of the country in 2022 and brought 800,000 metric tons of rice from abroad. But in 2023 and 2024, not a single grain of rice was brought from abroad. Today, the people of the country consume the rice produced by the farmers of our own country. Now we have no shortage of food. US Dollars are coming into the country. Hotels are full of tourists. All closed hotels were opened.
An era is coming when the price of all things in the country will decrease. The hard times are over now. No one who came here today came for a packet of rice or a bottle of alcohol. Those who came for this rally came of their own accord. The people who paid their own bus fares.
21 MPs participated in this new alliance today. Also, 5 more MPs who are abroad have expressed their support. The next few weeks will see the strength of this new alliance. A group of politicians that you all never dreamed of will come into this new alliance. Also, under the leadership of the SLFP, we are creating the biggest alliance ever created in this era. Therefore, I express my gratitude to the people of Hambantota, who always trusted me.
Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and A.H. Musharraf also expressed their views at this rally.
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