Mahinda vows to come on UPFA stage shortly 57 UPFA MPs join mammoth rally

The Bring-back-Mahinda campaign yesterday received a tremendous boost with 55 UPFA MPs joining a massive rally held in Kurunegala. Among those who got onto stage for the first time were one-time External Affairs Minister, Prof. G.L. Peiris, veteran trade union leader Alavi Moulana and former Minister A. H. M.Azwer.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said, in a statement, that he would be back on the SLFP led UPFA stage soon and the date would be decided by the people.

In his message read out at a mammoth rally at the Welagedara grounds, Kurunegala Rajapaksa apologised to the people there for not attending the rally in the Kurunegala District in which he got 555,086 votes at the January’s presidential election.

The former President’s message was read by former Minister and SLFP Vice President Dullas Alahapperuma at the rally organised jointly by the Mahajana Eksath the National Freedom Front, the Democratic Left Front and the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya demanding the naming of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the UPFA’s prime ministerial candidate for the next general election. "When defeating the LTTE, my government and I faced the same accusations, allegations and pressure as we do today under the UNP-led government," Rajapaksa said, adding that all including his defeat were due to conspiracies.

But for the people who had rallied round him, he would even have lost his life at the hands of the conspirators, the former President said in his statement. The UNP-led government could not stop the on-going campaign to safeguard the rights of 5.8 million people who voted for him at the presidential election vis-a-vis baseless allegations and repressive measures, the former President said.

"I will be back on the UPFA stage soon, but it is the people who will decide when I should do so," the former President said, adding that he was certain the people’s support for him was as solid as Athugala in Kurunegala.