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Sri Lanka’s main opposition parties yesterday denounced the executive presidential system which they claim is being abused by the ruling party, officials said. |
They selected former health minister Maithripala Sirisena as a consensus candidate to challenge incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse in the January 8 election.
Sirisena quit the government two weeks ago and recruited two ministers and five other members of parliament to resign and join him in attempting to unseat Rajapakse. He also threatened to attract more ruling party members from the 225-seat parliament to
jump ship.
“We will abolish the executive powers of the presidential system and vest the powers in parliament after the elections within a 100-day period,” Sirisena said yesterday.
He is backed by the main opposition United National Party led by former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, former president Chandrika Kumartunga and former army commander General Sarath Fonseka who spearheaded the military campaign against Tamil rebels to end the 26-year-old war.
Opposition parties claim that the executive presidential system is being abused by Rajapakse to create a family dynasty. The president’s elder brother is the speaker of parliament, a younger brother is economic affairs minister, a son is a member of parliament and another brother is the defence secretary.
Rajapakse dismissed the allegations by saying that two of his brothers were elected to parliament, while only the defence secretary has been appointed.
Rajapakse called early presidential elections despite having two more years in his term.
