SLPP accuses rival camp of mud-slinging in run-up to Presidential poll

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) today (Nov 11) accused their rival ruling party presidential candidate’s faction of mud-slinging in the run-up to the poll.

SLPP candidate Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s spokesman Dullas Alahapperuma claimed that New Democratic Front (NDF) candidate Sajith Premadasa’s camp had been resorting to cheap tactics aiming to win the November 16 vote.

“We wish to tell Sajith Premadasa to question Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on a basis of policy if there any shortcomings in his manifesto,” Alahapperuma told a news conference in Colombo.

He pointed out that Rajapaksa has not attacked any of his rival candidates in the process of campaigning for this week’s election.

Alahapperuma criticised the technicality of yesterday’s purported revelation by the ruling party that 7000 tonnes of looted gold had been brought to Colombo from Jaffna during the previous government, on orders of Rajapaksa who was defence minister.

The revelation had been made by an individual identifying himself as a driver of ‘white vans’ which were infamous for abductions during the previous government.

“A container can hold a maximum capacity of 20 tonnes. Therefore, around 320 containers would be required to bring 7000 tonnes of gold,” the spokesman remarked.

He claimed that the individual who had made the revelation was a key suspect in looting a private bank in Wattala last year.

(Pics by Indika Handuwala)