The United National Party (UNP) claimed today that presidential candidate M. L. A. M. Hisbullah is tacitly backing Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
UNP Parliamentarian Thushara Indunil speaking to reporters this morning accused the former Eastern Province Governor of attempting to split the Muslim vote in the upcoming presidential election.
“Rathana Thero is trying to convince Sinhala Buddhists voters that the UNP and Sajith Premadasa do not love the country, hoping to get them to vote for Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Meanwhile, Hisbullah is running as an independent candidate in order to stop our candidate from getting Muslim votes. Both Rathana Thero and Hisbullah are carrying out two separate tasks while being in the same camp. I request the Sinhala Buddhist people understand this hybrid scheme,” Indunil said.
“We are not afraid of Hisbullah. People of the Eastern province refused him during the last parliamentary elections. What we have to say is that Ahuraliye Rathana Thero and Hisbullah are on the same stage supporting Gotabaya Rajapaksa,” he added.
The UNP MP further said that thousands of people will gather at the Galle Face Green on Thursday (10 Oct) to show their support to New Democratic Front (NDF) presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa where he will begin his official presidential campaign.
(Republic next)