Participating in TV Derana’s 360 programme last night (10), he said even if they collected less than 113 seats, there were many others who were willing to support.
He stressed that at the dawn of January 09, he had left never wanting to return to politics, but he could not ignore people’s calls for a comeback.
Referring to the controversial remarks by president Maithripala Sirisena, Rajapaksa said he was not dejected by it, nor it would affect the party’s vote base.
The president gave encouragements especially to the grassroots level membership, he said, adding that his reference to the Central Bank bond issue could result in a reduction of votes for the UNP.
Premiership
When pointed out that the president has said that he would not give Rajapaksa the premiership, the ex-president said that going by his connections with him since the 1970, he would not do so.
Rajapaksa conceded that his rule had certain shortcomings, giving as an example his order not to remand the sister of Sajith Premadasa when she was being investigated over fake currency note possession.
BBS conspiracy
It was part of a western conspiracy that Bodu Bala Sena and other organizations had worked to damage the goodwill his government had with minority communities, said Rajapaksa.
Now, a book has been published detailing how BBS monks had gone to Geneva to discuss their plot, according to him.
They had tried to gain their objectives by breaching the goodwill with the Muslims, and are today trying to influence Sinhala Buddhist votes, he charged.
