Nava Sama Samaja Party (NSSP) candidate, S. Sunandan Mahendran, said he will support Maithripala Sirisena indirectly. However, he added, he is not fully convinced that Sirisena, if he becomes President, will appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister.

“Maithripala has repeatedly said that he will abolish the Executive Presidency within 100 days of assuming power. But, he has not said how he was going to find a proper solution to the minority problems. If he does not take early steps to resolve it, we will fight for minority rights. We signed an agreement with Ranil for a Federal solution. But now that Maithri has become the common candidate, we will support him,” Mahendran said at a press conference held at NSSP head office in Slave Island yesterday.

He added that he did not come forward as a candidate from the NSSP to fight with Maithri at the election. He also said he would vote for Maithripala because he believes in Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera.

“We hope he (Maithripala) will give a solution to our problems with the government viz, illegal land acquisition, establishment of military camps, and so forth. We therefore request you to vote for him. Maithri has not directly committed himself to a solution to the minorities. But, we have spoken to Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera and he said our problems will be resolved to our satisfaction. We trust the Thera,” he said.

He added Maithri has signed several agreements with different parties pledging to abolish the Executive Presidency and that it will be difficult for him not to keep his word.
“He signed an agreement with the JHU saying that Executive power will be reduced; he signed another agreement with Chandrika and Ranil about abolishing the Executive Presidency within 100 days and forming a national government,” he said.

Anuradha Herath