President Maithripala Sirisena rubbished claims the turnout at the Joint Opposition May Day rally at Galle Face was an indication of a growing opposition.

“If they think they can change the government by calculating the amount of people who turned up at the May Day rally, they are living in a dream. It is a joke,” the President said.

He was addressing an event at Aralaganwila to handout Mahaweli deeds to one hundred thousand people.

President Maithripala Sirisena also derided the opposition launched protest against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “the same people who called for black flags crept in to meet the Indian Premier in the night,” he said.