By: Asela Kuruluwansha
COLOMBO — Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Saturday that the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) would choose its next presidential candidate based on public demand, adding that the party would not nominate his son, Namal Rajapaksa, unless the people wanted him to contest.
"If the people do not ask for Namal, we are not prepared to make him the presidential candidate," Mr. Rajapaksa told reporters after paying homage at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy.
The remarks come as Sri Lanka's main opposition parties continue to reassess their leadership and electoral strategies following last year's presidential and parliamentary elections.
Mr. Rajapaksa said he was saddened by the country's current situation and pledged to rebuild and strengthen the SLPP by reuniting factions that had drifted apart.
He also dismissed suggestions that he was preparing to retire from politics, saying he believed he still had more to contribute to the country.
The former president further criticized the government, alleging that it lacked an understanding of the challenges facing Sri Lanka's farming community.
