President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized the current government has proven that political parties can unite for the benefit of the country, and as a result, the effort to build a new Sri Lanka is underway.
He claimed that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has resorted to vote-stealing and remarked that the National People’s Power (NPP) party has lost touch with its history, making it difficult for them to progress without acknowledging their past.
President Wickremesinghe made these remarks while addressing the 73rd anniversary celebration of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) at the Monarch Imperial Hotel, Battaramulla.
The President also stated that he will always remember the SLFP’s support in rebuilding the nation over the past two years.
The Central Committee, Executive Committee, and Politburo of the SLFP unanimously adopted a resolution to support President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is running as an independent candidate in the upcoming Presidential Election
Addressing the gathering, President Ranil Wickremesinghe further elaborated;
For the first time, I have had the honour of addressing the SLFP summit. When the United National Party (UNP) was established, S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike was one of its founding members. Later, he left and founded the SLFP. At that time, I was only 10 years old, and I had the chance to meet S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike on several occasions.
Both parties have worked to advance the country from different perspectives, and while there has been division between us, both good and bad outcomes have resulted. Today, some question what we have accomplished over the past 75 years. We have a record of our achievements and actions, which I will address in due course. The governments of that era made significant improvements in health and education. We are prepared to acknowledge both our successes and shortcomings, and unlike some, we do not forget our past. Our history will not be left incomplete.
We had differing opinions, but our focus was always on the well-being of the country. In 2022, we had to prioritize the nation’s needs. Traditional politics saw leaders fall—Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned. The Opposition Leader and Anura Dissanayake refused the role of Prime Minister, retreating from the situation. Despite these challenges, we managed to form a government together. On July 9, 2022, President Gotabaya stepped down, leaving the country without a leader and in a state of anarchy.
We united with the country’s best interests in mind, and I am proud of that collective effort. By coming together, we saved both the country and its democracy. It is because of this preservation of democracy that we were able to hold a presidential election today. Despite initial doubts about our ability to rebuild and revitalize the economy, we achieved significant growth within just a month or two. At this moment, I want to express my gratitude to the members of the SLFP. Your dedication to saving and uniting the party, as well as supporting me, has been invaluable.
We don’t need to revisit the details of our past two years’ program at this moment. What’s important now is that we have managed to stabilize the economy. Our focus is on ensuring that this stability continues and on driving the country forward with strength. We are dedicated to providing a better future for our young people. While some may speak about the country but act out of self-interest, our commitment is solely to the nation. Our current goal is to build a new Sri Lanka.
We have demonstrated that political parties can unite for the greater good, and we are dedicated to that transformation and progress. Our mission is to create a future where Sri Lanka no longer relies on constant foreign aid. We must secure our own resources and build a robust economy that enhances the quality of life for all our citizens.
