UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe today said that the party should start the year by making Maithripala Sirsena, former General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the president.

He also stated that the former Minister made a brave decision when he stepped out of the government to become the common candidate of the opposition.

“Our usual opponents are the members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party; but today the opponent is the Rajapaksa regime,” Wickremesinghe said while adding that Sirisena was still the General Secretary of the SLFP as he was removed from his position “illegally”.

“Lets first unite with all other political parties of the opposition and make sure the common candidate becomes victorious,” Wickremesinghe added. He also extended gratitude to everyone who worked hard at the Uva Provincial Council election to bring out a good result for the main opposition party.

“If we do not resolve the problems today we will slide back to terrorism tomorrow,” UNP National Leader Wickremesinghe said.

Wickremesinghe also added that a national government will be formed as soon as Maithripala Sirisena wins the Presidential election on 8 January. He proposed that even after a general election a national government should be in place for at least two years to deal with the many national issues.

Meanwhile, Maithripala Sirisena, addressing the meeting at Sirikotha said, “Problem the UNP faces is to form a UNP government, the problem SLFP faces is that no SLFPers in the government.”

“The Government is not only trying to secure a third term, they are also trying to destroy the multi-party system which has been in the country for many decades,”  the common candidate also added addressing his first public meeting at the UNP headquarters.

He also thanked the main opposition party for accepting him as the presidential candidate of the party.