• Need of the hour was not to form a government or to seek power 

By K. G. Karunaratne - Polonnaruwa 

Former President and Polonnaruwa District Parliamentarian Maithripala Sirisena said Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) was planning to propose to the government a programme to build the country. 

Commenting on the future programmes of the SLFP, he told the media in Polonnaruwa that the need of the hour before his party was not to form a government or to seek power but to save the government from the prevailing unfortunate situation. 

“Our responsibility at this critical juncture is to face the challenges in the near year through our experiences in the last year. We have passed a period of harrowing experiences. It was not a period of happiness in any manner. How to make the current year a new era of happiness is a matter of concern. The sum total of the socio-economic and political crises prevailing today is clearly an indication of the serious predicament facing the country. 

With this in view, SLFP with a long history as a political party that ruled the country would put forward a series of proposals to the government. Priority should be given to preventing hunger. Forming governments or coming into power is entirely a different matter and our main concern is to save the people from this mire.” the former President said. 

•  Forming governments or coming into power is entirely a different matter and our main concern is to save the people from this mire