President invited me for Urumya land distribution ceremony: Gayantha

6 February 2024 12:56 pm Views - 2186

Colombo, Feb 6 (Daily Mirror) - Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Gayantha Karunathileke said he attended the state ceremony to distribute land to the poor following an official invitation he had received from President Ranil Wickremeisnghe.

“I was invited by the President and the government and I thought it was correct for me to participate in the ceremony as I am a former Minister in charge of lands. I was the one who submitted a Cabinet Paper to distribute land for the poor during the Yahapalana government. However, a certain party went to courts and stopped our programne. I was invited to the ceremony as a pioneer of the programme,” MP Karunathileke told the Daily Mirror.

“Both President Wickremesinghe and the incumbent Minister of Lands Harin Fernando correctly told the ceremony that it was I who pioneered the programme,” he added.

The MP denied speculations on social media that he is one of the MPs who are in line to crossover to the government. Speculations became rife after MP Shan Wijayalal joined the SJB and obtained the party organizer's post for the Galle District.