“All common candidates have failed, I will be people’s candidate”: Janaka Ratnayake

Former PUCSL Chairman, Janaka Ratnayake who was sacked from his position by Parliament on Wednesday said that since all common political candidates had failed, he would contest the next Presidential Election as a People's Candidate.

Speaking to Daily Mirror, Ratnayake said there are a number of political parties in Sri Lanka, but none of these parties had been able to deliver to fulfil the people's expectations.
  However, he said he was the ideal candidate to represent the people in the next Presidential Election and when he declares his candidacy, many political parties will come forward to support him.

“This country has not had any suitable common candidate. All have failed. So I will be the most suitable candidate representing the citizens of this country,” Ratnayake said.

When questioned as to which party he will contest from, Ratnayake said he had still not decided on this and was confident that when he declares his candidacy for the Presidential Election, there will be many political parties who would approach him to join and would support him.

Ratnayake was sacked from his position as the PUCSL Chairman by Parliament on Wednesday after 123 MPs voted against him and 77 voted in favour.

Ratnayake was appointed to the chair by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and was alleged to be a close aide of the former president.  (AJITH SIRIWARDANA)