Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe, Leader of Sri Lanka’s main Opposition, on Monday met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and discussed the current political situation in Sri Lanka, The Hindu learns.
The meeting was held Monday evening, where the NSA had a one-on-one interaction with Mr. Wickramasinghe for about ten minutes, followed by a short meeting with senior members of the party, according to a key source in Colombo. “It was more like a courtesy call, where current political developments were discussed,” the source said. The Sri Lankan presidential elections will be held on January 8, where President Mahinda Rajapaksa will target an unprecedented third term in office.
The NSA is reported to have enquired about the election strategy and campaign plans of the Common platform that the UNP is backing, said sources. The issue of China’s role in Sri Lanka — a major concern for India — also came up in discussions, said the source.
Mr. Doval is in to attend the ‘Galle Dialogue’ organised by Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence.
The NSA also to met leaders of the Tamil National Alliance, and was scheduled to meet former president Chandrika Kumaratunga, along with common candidate Maithripala Sirisena.
On Tuesday, Mr. Doval will meet President Rajapaksa.
