7 May 2022 12:00 am Views - 93
By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana
Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said he is under threat following the remarks made by TNA MP Shankiyan Rasamanickam in Parliament that he sided with the government during the election of the Deputy Speaker.
“It is not fair to enforce threats on MPs after remarks are made in the House,” he told Parliament.
Mr. Wickremesinghe said there is a move to surround his house at 5th Lane Colombo today. “I am not scared of protests but what we all should focus on is the crisis which the country is facing today,” he said.
The Former Prime Minister said he supported Ranjith Siyambalapitiya during the election of the Deputy Speaker as the latter was a candidate put forward by the opposition.
“I told TNA that I will support the opposition candidate but would not support a candidate fielded by the ruling party. I told them I will not change my stance. I do not know what happened thereafter. Others including SJB MPs know what happened next,” he told Parliament.
“I only talked to TNA MPs following the information given to me by MP Nimal Siripala de Silva that there is an issue with the TNA. I was made to understand by the TNA that they will be nominating a candidate for the opposition leader’s post,” he said.
“The allegation made by TNA MP Shankiyan Rasamanickam that I am with the Rajapaksa government is wrong. It was Mr. Rasamanickam who accepted the organiser’s post from the Rajapaksas. It was he who said Mahinda Saranam Gachchami, Basil Saranam Gachchami and Namal Saranam Gacchami. I never did what Rasamanickam did. However Rajapaksas went into a pact with Prabhakaran to defeat me,” he added.