• Our expectation is to obtain power and not to sit in the opposition. We will obtain power at the next election

By Ajith Siriwardana  
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) will secure power again at the next election, former president Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Tuesday.   

He said the SLPP had no intention whatsoever to sit in the opposition or claim the opposition leadership in Parliament other than securing power again.  
Responding to a question that there was a rumour that the SLPP was trying to claim the opposition leadership, he said “We have no such discussion as yet. Our expectation is to obtain power and not to sit in the opposition. We will obtain power at the next election,” he said.  
When asked about the ongoing drug raids, he said it was a progressive move by the government to launch an operation to net drug traffickers.  
He said that drugs have ruined the young generation.  
“Drugs have destroyed the whole country and the younger generation. So, it is a good move by the government to net the drug traffickers,”