• Says confident to form a government if elected as President

By Yohan Perera   

Whilst revealing that an initial discussion he had with a  group of National People’s Power (NPP) members had failed due to policy  differences, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka yesterday said he will contest  the Presidential Election as an independent candidate.   

“I did have a dialogue with a group of NPP members, but these discussions were not successful due to policy differences. I am  confident that I will be able to offer stiff competition to the other  candidates who have entered the fray,” Fonseka told a media briefing.   

 “I am confident that I will be able to form a government  in the event I am elected as the President of this country with able and  uncorrupt MPs in the present Parliament,” he said while recalling that  Yahapalana government was originally formed in 2015 with just 44 MPs.   

Also Field Marshal said he would inform Supreme Courts his  intention to withdraw the case he had filed against SJB. 

He had filed a  petition with Supreme Courts to prevent SJB from taking action against  him. “However I am prepared to fight against a possible move by SJB out  remove me from Parliament. I understand that I might lose my  parliamentary seat considering the fate suffered by MPs Harin Fernando  and Manusha Nanayakkara,” he said in this regard.   

Fonseka resigned from the SJB Chairman’s post earlier  during the day and sent his resignation letter to party General  Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara. However, he said he had not given up  the SJB membership.         

•  Says will be able to offer stiff competition to the other candidates who have entered the fray