• Says a two-thirds majority for NPP will be a dangerous move 

By Yohan Perera   

A strong opposition with experienced people is needed in  Parliament to safeguard the nation as National People’s Power (NPP) might  even try to introduce Marxism otherwise, UNP Deputy Leader and National  Democratic Front (NDF) Gampaha District candidate Ruwan Wijewardene  said yesterday.  

“A two-thirds majority for NPP will be a dangerous move  as efforts may be made even to introduce Marxism. Many countries are  moving away from Marxism,” he told a briefing.   
“People should think wisely when they go to vote at the General Election,” he said.     

 Responding to questions raised by the journalists, he said  talks on getting the support of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) for a grand  alliance was somewhat successful. “However, we were not able to cement  an agreement before the Presidential Election because of the demands  made by SJB. They wanted Sajith Premadasa to be the presidential  candidate while they wanted telephone to be the symbol of the new  alliance,” he said.   

Asked as to why some persons in NDF camp have got  frustrated, Mr. Wijewardene said even people from other parties have  also been frustrated. 

“Some in SJB including Ajith Mannapperuma,  Niroshan Perera and Mayantha Dissanayake have also got frustrated and  decided against contesting the General Election. I have spoken to  Mannapperuma and told him that he is welcome to join us even after the  General Election,” he said.  

He said efforts will be made to join up with SJB members after the General Election.   

Asked whether the elephant symbol of the UNP will be  dispensed with, he said it will not happen. “The elephant symbol will be  back. I also believed that we should have contested the General  Election under the elephant symbol. However, the others in our alliance  came up with a fair point, saying that contesting under the elephant  symbol would not go well with their voters as they have been criticizing  the elephant or the UNP for a long time.   

Also, he said no discussion has taken place on bringing  former President Ranil Wickremesinghe back to active politics but said the nation might want his services in case the NPP government finds it  difficult to continue. “We don’t want to topple the NPP government,” he  said.