The people will have no chance to change the executive presidency in the country for the next 8 years if Mahinda Rajapaksa wins the election on January 8, said Uva Province Opposition Leader and former UNP MP Harin Fernando.

Speaking at the “Satana” political talk show on Sirasa TV last night, he added that this fact itself will be a denial of democracy and hence the people must make sure that it will not happen.

He said that although the president said that he was just the protector of the country, corruption was rife and the accusation is not coming from the opposition, but from SLFP General Secretary himself. Therefore, it carries much weight than something said by the opposition, he added.

The last night’s “Satana” program comes a week after the controversial blocking of the earlier program on Dialog TV and Peo TV on Nov 23, in which four figures opposed to Mahinda Rajapaksa camp took part. The UPFA has declined to send a representative for last night’s program.