PM calls SLPP activists to get back to village level politics

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa called his party activists to get back to village level politics pointing out that after gaining power they had lost touch with the common man.

Premier Rajapaksa addressing the fifth anniversary celebrations of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) said that the recent strikes by the teachers and the farmers were an indication that the party activists had lost touch with them.

“We should go back to the people and engage in politics”, he said.

He said party activist after gaining power should not be complacent now that they were in power and said not to expect officials to play the role they should be playing.

“Soon after we gained power there were people voluntarily drawing paintings on walls. Where are those youth today? We need to find them back. Are they in the queues to obtain passports to travel overseas? If so we need a way to keep them back”, he said.

“We need to reestablish the political power in the work places, factories and farmlands”, he added.

Commenting on the party’s growth, he said nobody expected that in such a short period they would be able to win a Presidential election and get two thirds power in the Parliament creating history, and that the growth of the party was a result of taking careful decisions patiently without inconveniencing the public.

“We never kept the people in the dark and did not take undue advantages during the Easter Sunday attack by provoking people”, he said.