Politicians shouldn’t chase after positions: Kiriella

Referring to the prevailing UNP leadership crisis, MP Lakshman Kiriella said they, as politicians, should not chase after positions, but positions should come in search of them, if they had worked properly.

Addressing a news briefing today, he said all leaders of the party including Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sajith Premadasa and Karu Jayasuriya should stand in unity for the sake of the people without giving so much priority to the leadership crisis.

“People accuse us for not raising our voices for their issues, such as cost of living as an opposition party rather than concentrating on the leadership crisis. There is a truth in this,” the MP said.

“What is important is to come out with a sensible programme to address the prevailing issues faced by the people. If we are casing after positions, we don’t have a path, he added.

Meanwhile, he said the incumbent Government was in quandary in terms of its own way forward.

“The Government has lost Rs. 600 billion due to the tax relief they offered to people. Now, they are in dilemma as to how they should find the revenue to fill the deficit.

However, he said people had not yet benefited from the relief that was introduced to them and added it seemed the Government had no move to table the tax relief in Parliament in order to get the approval so that they could be implemented in a legitimate manner. (By Sheain Fernandopulle)