(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) – Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa says the parliament will definitely be dissolved next March and the general election will be held before the provincial council election.
The President made this statement at a meeting with newspaper editors, electronic media directors and journalists at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (16).
The President said he wanted a strong government to function and that it could not be done in the current Parliament.
He said that it was his and the Prime Minister’s intention to hold all the postponed elections and the parliament will take the decision to hold provincial council elections.
Responding to a question raised by a journalist about the symbol for the general election, President Rajapaksa said it would be decided after discussions. The President said the Prime Minister would lead the election campaign and Basil Rajapaksa would formulate the mechanism and he would assist the campaign.
President Rajapaksa said the influence of the media can be very broad in directing a government.
The President said he expected criticism as it would strengthen the government’s right direction and he always expect the media to steer the pen for what is right and true.
