United National Party (UNP) leader and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Wednesday his government would not allow anyone to indulge in divisive politics.
Addressing the media at his official residence, Mr. Wickremesinghe, who is expected to be sworn in as Prime Minister for the fourth time shortly, said voters had indicated their preference.
“Let’s work together. I don’t think anyone can opt out [of the task of working together] or go back to divisive politics. We will not allow that.”
Pointing out that the verdict of Monday’s parliamentary poll confirmed the “January 8 revolution” [referring to the defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa at the hands of Maithripala Sirisena in the presidential elections], the UNP leader said it also favoured “good governance that we have started.”
His government would arrive at a consensus and build a framework “through which we will do our politics.”
There would be district development coordination boards, headed by lawmakers, to carry out “decentralised development.”
Besides, the country would have “Gram Rajya” committees. Members of civil society would be included in advisory councils.
Meanwhile, in a statement, Mr. Rajapaska, who had sought to make a comeback by leading the United People’s Freedom Alliance in the elections, said he would remain in politics in line with the people’s mandate and he would function within the Parliament “to safeguard the nation and the democratic system”. He thanked the voters who reposed their confidence in the party “despite unprecedented obstacles that we had to face”.
Date not fixedA source at the office of President Sirisena said no date had yet been fixed for the swearing in ceremony.
