Ranil attempted to destroy himself and drag us along with him – Imthiaz
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Chairman Imthiaz Bakeer Markar has claimed that former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Presidential campaign was akin to a “self-destructive mission”.
He made these remarks during a media briefing after receiving blessings from the Mahanayakes of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters of the Siam Nikaya.
Markar stated, “Ranil attempted to destroy himself and drag us along with him.” His comments came while discussing the removal of Ajith Mannapperuma from his role as Gampaha District Organiser. This decision followed a review of the election results, which confirmed a weak performance in that constituency. However, Mannapperuma had been given a fair chance to contest the upcoming Parliamentary Elections.
Markar acknowledged that internal disputes exist in every party, especially during the nomination process. He referred to Hirunika Premachandra’s departure from the Samagi Vanitha Bala Mandalaya due to dissatisfaction, but noted that she continues to work with the party.
“We need to unite to pull the country out of its current crisis,” Markar emphasised. “Our manifesto is rooted in democratic socialist principles. We broke away from the United National Party (UNP) because it veered towards extreme right-wing policies, departing from its legacy. We aim to build a progressive force.”
Markar also mentioned that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had secured 42 percent of the vote, meaning that the remaining 58 percent opposed him. The people have voted wisely, expressing their mistrust and frustration.
“It’s impossible to make everyone 100 percent happy. But when you analyse our election manifesto, you can understand who the capable team to uplift the country is. No one else has a policy statement with this kind of vision. Our manifesto contains our vision and a practical plan of action. The National People’s Power (NPP) said there has never been a country that recovered by relying on the International Monetary Fund (IMF). They said that they won’t fall into that trap. However, in the first discussions with the IMF, no conditions were presented, and they agreed to move forward. It’s only after taking responsibility that the real depth of the situation becomes clear.”
Markar concluded by stressing the importance of having a practical and visionary political platform. He criticised previous administrators like Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike and President J.R. Jayewardene for extending their power through a two-thirds super majority, which led to autocracy and corruption. “Our history, as well as global history, shows that a two-thirds majority opens the door to authoritarianism and corruption.”
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