Mannaperuma ignored our advice :Madduma Bandara

By Yohan Perera   

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara alleged that Former MP Ajith Mannaperuma failed to listen to advice he had given and did not stick to a single policy.   

“I told him to stick to a single policy. However he did not listen. He was given the ticket to contest the election despite his behaviour and despite opposition of many others in the party,” he told media.   

“There is no unrest among the SJBers as we are all working together and there are no divisions. It is natural for a political party to experience pressure when finalizing nominations,” he added.  

Mannaperuma said the SJB may lose its decent, educated members before long.

“SJB is slated to lose its educated and decent members as they will leave the party because of frustration. Many members are frustrated with the party leadership,”  Mannaperuma told Daily Mirror.   

Asked whether any other candidate from the party will follow him and withdraw from the election, the former MP said that would not happen as there are some candidates who want to enter Parliament and decide about their fate later. “There are some candidates who are frustrated but they would not withdraw from the election as they want to continue as MPs. They may decide their fate later,” he said.   

I myself and few other former SJB MPs requested the party leader to reconcile with former President Ranil Wickremesinghe before the Presidential Election but the party leadership turned it down,” he also said.   

Meanwhile former MP Hirunika Premachandra who resigned from the post of Samagi Vanitha Balawegaya said she too was saddened by a comment made by  Sajith Premadasa’s advisors. 

“This advisor blamed the party organizers for the electoral defeat of Mr. Premadasa. 

This remark hurt me. However my decision to quit from the post I was holding in the party had nothing to do with this remark. I resigned as I wanted to focus on my campaign. I thought it was time to think of my interests,” she told journalists.