Welgama says it was he who first got the ball rolling against Gotabaya

… claims Sirisena tells lies

SJB Kalutara District MP Kumar Welgama told Parliament yesterday that it was he who HAD first said ‘Gota, go home’ and now the entire country was saying so.

“When Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s name was proposed as the presidential candidate, I openly opposed it.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, too, was there when I raised objections.

I said that Gotabaya Rajapaksa had no political experience and had never been at least a Pradeshiya Sabha member, and therefore a senior member of the party had to be nominated as the presidential candidate.

Mahinda Rajapaksa did not listen to me because he wanted to give that position to a member of his family. Due to that wrong decision, the entire country is in turmoil. Here are some of those who had been there opposing me. Vasudeva Nanayakkara, too, had the same opposition for about two weeks. Mahinda Rajapaksa could change his mind but could not change my mind.

When our party was revived with the Mahinda Sulanga programme, it was Prasanna Ranatunga. Wimal Weerawansa, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Dinesh Gunawardena and Udaya Gammanpila who led that campaign which we supported; even Gamini Lokuge and Bandula Gunawardane were there.

I can remember how the then President Maithripala Sirisena ordered that none of the SLFP members should join that the Nugegoda rally. But we defied that order to bring in Mahinda Rajapaksa back to power. We thought that he would not bring back his family members again. We even told him not to do so. But he did not listen to us.

I have no opposition to the PM getting Namal Rajapaksa involved. But there were others who should not have been brought into top positions.

Therefore, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa should be held responsible for the current mess. We have been with Mahinda Rajapaksa for 40 years in politics. I regret what has happened.

“The other thing I have to tell you all is that Maithripala Sirisena tells lies.”

He utters only lies. For example, today he says that he brought in the 19th Amendment. When the 20th Amendment was put to the vote, he got his MPs to vote for it.

He did not come to the House on that day but got his MPs to help ensure its passage. This country and its people are suffering today because of the lies that have been propagated. Besides, the country is troubled by a curse––the Easter Sunday terror attacks You cannot escape from that curse. The entire country is paying for that crime.

We worked for Mahinda Rajapaksa because he served this country from 2005 to 2010. In 2010 those who were around him made him think he was a king. Thereafter the downfall started. First thing to do after that was the incarceration of Sarath Fonseka. Today, the people demand that Rajapaksas too should be put in jail,” MP Welgama said.