Chandrika says won’t work with corrupt elements

The SLFP had lost most of its members including the crooks, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said yesterday addressing a meeting at Matugama.

She claimed that former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena had destroyed the SLFP by undermining party values.

Kumaratunga alleged that the Rajapaksas had siphoned off 15 billion rupees from six development projects that began during her tenure.

“Sirisena was no better. Now, the SLFP has no one. Some crooks who left the SLFP approach me from time to time. A lot of people tell me that these people have large voter bases despite their corruption. However, I insist that I won’t work with such people. The country can’t go ahead like this,” she said.

The former President said that the country was in the current mess because of widespread corruption and that was why the people took to the streets last year to topple the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government. We must not forget this,” she said.

Corruption in Sri Lanka was institutionalised under the Rajapaksas and anyone who works with them can’t be expected to ensure the recovery of the country, she alleged. (RK)