Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, addressing a press conference at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Colombo, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa now suffers from “Bandaranaike phobia.”

She made this remarks at the press conference which was organized this evening to announce the crossover of Western Provincial Councilor of the UPFA, Hirunika Premachandra.

“ I have no medicine for the President’s fears,” the former President said.  

She was responding to the statement made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Friday that his key opponent in the election race is former President Kumaratunga. The President indicated that common candidate of the opposition, Maithripala Sirisena, was a “pawn” used by the former President.

The former President sat alongside Hirunika Premachandra at the press conference and responded to some of the questions posed by the media. Premachandra added that the former President wanted her to think twice before making a decision on joining the campaign of the common opposition.

Meanwhile, addressing the same press conference, UNP Parliamentarian Rosy Senanayake said she was saddened by the statements made by Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake about former President Kumaratunga.