Exclusive : Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa speaks to the Sunday Times ahead of polls

A modern house in Mirihana, located in a narrow lane where two cars cannot cross one another, has become his temporary home.   Crowds wait on the roadside whilst men from his personal security detail keep a watchful eye. Aides are busy carrying file or printed material to an upper floor. Others usher in well-wishers who have alighted from their cars some hundred metres away. A cool breeze caresses a narrow swimming pool that lay next to a waiting area past the glass window entrance causing ripples.   That the August 17 polls have caused some disorder in a neatly built and elegantly furnished house is evident. Paintings hang at different angles or lay on the floor. Chairs in a drawing room face different directions. On the smaller tables are empty tea cups and old newspapers.   [caption id="attachment_67433" align="alignright" width="300"] File Photo:Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa leaves his office following his loss at the Presidential Elections in January[/caption] In a first floor bedroom, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is getting ready to keep to his daily schedule after dawn. The pre-dawn session where he is in a trouser and T-shirt had ended with a string of meetings. Just past 7 a.m. a radio interview followed by short comments on camera to television crews was to get under way. Time was too short for a sit down session.   Then, there were a group of visitors from a friendly country who had to be met. He emerges from the first floor bedroom in immaculate white clasping a metal contraption in his right hands. He takes a flight of steps to the third floor.   There he sat down for an interview with the Sunday Times. Here are excerpts:   Why he chose to continue in politics after serving two terms as President of Sri Lanka: When I lost the Presidential elections, I decided to retire from politics. When I flew from Colombo to Medamulana, this was in my mind. When I arrived at my (ancestral) home, crowds poured in every day in very large numbers. Almost all of them urged me not to quit politics. Some were in tears as they appealed to me. There were those who were good enough to tell me to profit from any mistakes I would have made but never to give up. Those words encouraged me. They ring in my ears even now. I cannot let down my people who have stood by me through thick and thin. That also made me realize that there were a vast number of people who appreciated my role in Sri Lanka politics and my contribution to the country. How could I let them down? Also they (the Government) started attacking us. We had to defend ourselves against frivolous charges. Otherwise we would have been arrested.   Would the SLFP and the UPFA have lost the parliamentary elections if he did not come forward: I would not say that. There would have been a person or persons who would have earned the support and respect of the people. One should not forget that the SLFP has been a pre-eminent political party in Sri Lanka. As for me, I must also say that I have not under any circumstances left my party. Both at good and bad times, I have remained, defended it and ensured that it remained a formidable force. This formidable strength is displaced even today during our parliamentary election campaign.   On plans to win the election: We have spelt out our plans in the Manifesto that has been issued. It has been endorsed even by President Maithripala  Sirisena. We have proved that we can deliver. We defeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). We successfully engaged in infrastructure development providing employment to thousands. We built new road networks. So the people have trust in us and will not fall victims to the smear campaign that is being carried out.   On tolerating corrupt people in my administration: I concede mistakes have been made. I will give you one example. When a soldier was found with a forged local currency note, he was sentenced to three months in jail. There was the case of a sister of a UNP politician. She was caught with a wad of notes when she went to deposit them in a bank. It turned out to be forged currency. I was sympathetic and helped the lady in question. Otherwise even the politician would have found it difficult to face the people today. I have learnt from this that there should be no let up on corruption whoever is involved.   On some corrupt people being UPFA candidates: They would not have won nominations from our Board if there was a case pending or those candidates were convicted. Just because the opposition smears the reputation of a candidate, who turns out to be a formidable performer, we cannot deny nominations. On the other hand, take the UNP candidates.   There are those whose conduct is questionable. They have even hired the underworld to carry out their campaign whilst proclaiming they were for good governance or yahapalanaya. There are a number of such instances. On giving priority to Chinese funded project: Firstly, they are not Chinese projects. They are projects in Sri Lanka. We will go ahead with development programmes. See what happened to one of the projects – the Colombo to Kandy expressway. The UNP Government stopped this project for some time. Now, they have given it back to the same contractor. In terms of what we formulated, there was going to be six lanes in the road each way. Now, they have reduced it to four but the cost has increased phenomenally, more than the amount for which we awarded it. The way it is now being worked out, Gampaha will be divided in two parts. On faults of Maithripala Sirisena – Ranil Wickremesinghe Government: I do not want to comment on that. People are aware. All I can say is that I can work with President Sirisena. I have worked with him before. I know the protocol.   On the current Police investigations: This is an organized campaign against me and members of my family. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is directing it. The media is with him. So they are creating a hype together with Mr. Wickremesinghe. This is whilst those in the Government were being protected though they were involved in wrong doing. Take for example the son of a Cabinet Minister. He allegedly abducted an underage girl. What happened? People cannot be fooled all the time with false stories repeated many times in the hope that they become true.     It is sad that this “hora, hora” campaign has been continuing. This is the second time Mr Wickremesinghe is doing it. The first was two and half years ago. Inquiries can go on but they will have to be free and fair. We will also continue those inquiries when we are in power. We will also investigate cases which are now being suppressed under different pretexts.