I am committed to a secure, prosperous nation- Gota

Presidential candidate of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Gotabaya Rajapaksa stressed the need for a departure from the present political culture in the greater interest of society.

Addressing a mammoth election rally in Mahara yesterday, he said he was committed to make Sri Lanka a secure, prosperous nation where all the communities could co-exist in harmony.

He said there should be a positive political culture in the country.

“We cannot behave aggressively. I don’t approve of indecent, aggressive behaviour. There are a number of parties that have teamed up with us because of our policies. Today, the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) led by MP Arumugam Thondaman has decided to support us. We are armed with a people-friendly vision,” he said.

Mr. Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) had been a source of strength for us, enabling his side to increase the vote base from 60 per cent to 72 per cent.

“We warmly welcome the SLFP into our fold. The SLFP is the party founded by S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and D.A. Rajapaksa. It is the party that led the 1956 revolution. That is the party that introduced a host of people-friendly measures which we enjoy today. Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa became the president of this country twice representing the SLFP,” he said.

Asserting that national security would be prioritised under a government led by him in the future, he said a Cabinet driven by neoliberal thinking and acting according to the whims of the NGOs would never be able to strengthen or uphold national security.

Mr. Rajapaksa, who called the 21st century the knowledge-based century, said he had planned his knowledge-based economic policy.

“We always believe in the development of human resources. We will introduce an IT-driven economy,” he said.