"President Maithripala Sirisena has obtained 6.2 million votes. Mahinda Rajapaksa has obtained 5.8 million votes. Together, they have a mandate secured from 12 million people," UPFA Parliamentarian Bandula Gunawardena said, a short while ago, at a rally organized by the Joint Opposition, near Parliament. 

"We have no issues about the mandate. This coalition is what the people expected," the UPFA Parliamentarian added. 

Gunawardena said the time had come for the UNP,  which was hell-bent on destroying the economy, to step down from power and allow"patriotic forces" to take over the economy. 

He said the destruction of the economy was triggered by appointing a Singaporean as the Central Bank Governor of Sri Lanka. 

"As a result of the bond scam," Gunawardena said, "the entire banking system of the country collapsed overnight.