Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa today blamed the government for shattering the hopes of graduates who recently received appointments from the government.

Addressing a press conference in Colombo, Premadasa said although the government promised to give them jobs within a month after the election, they failed to meet the target.

"Even a child knows that the Elections Commission does not allow recruitment once an election is declared. So the government is responsible for the current situation," Premadasa said.

Premadasa promised to recruit the graduates within a week after the next Parliamentary election, should he form a government.

The Elections Commission decided to suspend the training programme for newly-employed graduates until the end of the election.

Speaking to media heads and newspaper editors, President Rajapaksa said the graduates received their letters of appointment before the election was declared.