The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) will resume its campaign meetings, with the first being in Anuradhapura on February 9, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa said adding that the Government was ready to face any election at any time. The SLPP suspended its political activities to comply with Covid-19 health guidelines during the height of the pandemic.
Minister Rajapaksa who is also the SLPP National Organiser told the press conference in Colombo on Wednesday, February 2 to brief the media on Gama Samaga Pilisadarak - Ayaweyen Weda Lakshayak program that they had to suspend their political activities to adhere to Covid-19 health guidelines. “However, we are not in a position to further halt our political activities. Therefore, we will resume our political campaign and public meetings from February 9.
The first public meeting of the SLPP will be held in Anuradhapura on February 9. “We will hold public meetings in all nine Provinces and we have already fixed the dates and selected the venues to conduct such meetings in five Provinces,” he said.
The Minister said it has also been planned to conduct the SLPP Women’s Convention meetings in all electorates on Saturdays and Sundays within the next two weeks.
Minister Rajapaksa said that the SLPP and he are ready to go for the Local Government (LG) election at any time. “I have an idea to go for the election as early as possible. If we go for LG elections at this juncture, it has to be held under the electoral system.”
He said the LG election is the only election that can be held at this juncture. According to the Constitution, the Presidential Election cannot be held until the stipulated timeframe is completed. A Parliamentary election cannot be held without completing a tenure of two and a half years of Parliament.
The Minister said the former Yahapalana Government had passed legislation to deliberately postpone the Provincial Council Elections. “We will have to make a lot of effort to pass another Amendment to hold PC elections. Therefore, the LG election is the only election which can be held at present.
“Our party follows the policies of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and he is our exemplary leader.
He is a leader who always tells us to go for elections and I am also following that policy. Therefore, I am ready to go for LG elections at any time. However, if LG elections are to be held in another year’s time, we are ready for that as well,” he added.