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Mangala lashes out at Sirisena
View(s):On October 26, President Maithripala Sirisena entered the history books as the only leader who conspired against his own government and toppled it, former Finance Minister and senior UNPer Mangala Samaraweera said yesterday.
United National Party stalwarts Mangala Samaraweera and Kabir Hashim address a news conference yesterday at Temple Trees. Pic by M.D. Nissanka
“He voluntarily gave up many of his executive powers. The 19th Amendment, which was supported by the President, restricts the President’s powers,” Mr Samaraweera said, adding that, the President can dissolve Parliament only four-and-a-half years after it is appointed.
He said the President has failed to show numbers and failed to buy over members of the UNP. “The UNP is not afraid of an election, but we are opposed to it due to the unconstitutional nature of this act. We will fight in the courts, we will fight against it in Parliament and at the elections. We are not afraid of elections. We will take this to courts on Monday. We are prepared to show our majority in Parliament next week. The people are rallying against this dictatorship, irrespective of party affiliations. We will fight this emerging tyranny of Maithripala Sirisena,” Mr. Samaraweera claimed.
“We continue to reiterate that, not allowing the Prime Minister to show his majority in Parliament is illegal,” claimed UNP Chairman Kabir Hashim. “The dissolution is an acceptance that the President didn’t have the numbers. That’s why he dissolved Parliament,” he added. Mr. Hashim was of the view that the President and Mahinda Rajapaksa had failed to secure the numbers, even with bribes of money and positions.