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Sri Lanka's "joint opposition" aims to defeat gov't

Xinhua, July 31, 2016 Adjust font size:

Sri Lanka's "Joint Opposition," who are staunch supporters of former President Mahinda Rajapakse, on Sunday said it would defeat President Maithripala Sirisena's government in the coming months and form a new regime under the former president.

Joint Opposition parliamentarian Udaya Gammanpila told Xinhua that a procession by the Joint Opposition which had begun from Kandy in Sri Lanka's Central District on July 28 had received "tremendous support" from the public and thousands had already joined the procession which will conclude in capital Colombo this week.

"We are overwhelmed by the support we have received from the public. Despite the many hindrances caused by the government to stop this procession, we are going to go ahead and make sure we gain a majority in parliament soon,"Gammanpila said.

The parliamentarian further said that certain members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) who are part of the existing coalition government had also shown their support to the Joint Opposition and had informed their supporters to join the procession.

President Sirisena, in a statement on Saturday, said that any street protests would not shake his regime and the national government formed between the SLFP and the United National Party (UNP) would continue for the next five years, reversing an earlier decision of working together for two years.

Sirisena said that his government also dedicated itself to fulfilling the mandate given to the people and would continue with its economic and development plans. Endit