Duty of all politicians to help form APG – Minister Ranatunga

Chief Government Whip and Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said in Parliament on Friday that they invite everyone from all parties to help form an All-Party Government (APG).

The Minister said that he will help the All-Party Government to fulfill the expectations of the voters who voted for the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).

“The people want everyone to come together and form a National Government. We as the SLPP are sensitive to the people’s request and that is why we will support it. Some claim that we have lost the 6.9 million mandate we got from the people. Yes, we accept that. There was a protest either with or without international help to oust the former President and he bowed to the people’s request and stepped down. Even the church hurled ridiculous allegations against Gotabaya Rajapaksa and accused him of having a hand in the Easter attacks, of abducting people in white vans and various other allegations. They even called him Hitler. Yet, he very peacefully stepped down and went.”

Ranatunga said that Ranil Wickremesinghe is not a new person to the Opposition but a leader who is in the seat of the opposition. He said that if there is no All-Party Government, then at least an All-Party System of Government should be established where everyone can come together to help the country recover from the situation it is currently in.

Minister Ranatunga also said that it is ridiculous to expect an election in six months when the country is facing a serious economic crisis.

He made these comments joining the Parliamentary debate on the President’s Policy Statement.