President at inaugural rally:

‘Give me a strong Parliament’

Rasika Somarathna in Kandy

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday that he had a duty to create a society which is well disciplined and has high moral values. Addressing the first major political rally in support of UPFA candidates contesting the forthcoming Parliamentary elections, the President said he was of the belief that a country’s progress could be retarded if it did not possess a disciplined society.

“The people gave me a second successive mandate to govern the country with a 1.8 million majority with a lot of hope and conviction. A disciplined and morally rich society is one of their wishes. I am prepared and committed to fulfill their aspirations,” he said at the rally in Kandy.

He pointed out to the large gathering that the people had elected him in 2005 with the main objective of delivering the country from the clutches of terrorism.

“However I got a Parliament where we could not appoint even our own Speaker. We had a question mark before ourselves, when it came to our forward march. But we did not let the people down and delivered what they wished,” he said.

“Now the country is yours. To drive it towards greater prosperity and accelerate the development process appoint a strong Parliament,” he said.

The President also emphasized that the party came before anything else and everybody should work as a team to ensure victory of the Betel Leaf.

The people have three choices when it came to the Manape and they can choose whom they like, he added.

The large public gathering at the Getambe grounds in Kandy was also addressed by Minister and SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena, artiste Jackson Anthony, former MP Wimal Weerawansa, Ellawela Medananda Thera and all 15 UPFA contenders from the Kandy district. Two renowned local politicians of the UNP from Kandy joined the UPFA, namely M. Marjan and Chandana Bandara.