Deputy Leader of the UNP and Housing and Construction Minister Sajith Premadasa revealed that President Sirisena had offered him the post of Prime Minister on 71 occasions – ten times prior to October 26 and 61 times after that.
“However, I declined on a matter of principle as I opposed the President’s action of removing the legitimate Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on October 26 and the unconstitutional dissolution of Parliament on November 9, which was subsequently reversed by the Supreme Court”, he said while addressing a welcome reception at Tangalle Town recently.
He charged that the violent attacks by some UPFA MPs in the Parliament Chamber on November 16 last year, was led by the “Father-Son” Combine.
Premadasa said that the “Father-Son” duo, who could not understand that they would not be able to cling on to power through the October 26 coup, were seen giving instructions to UPFA MPs to ” hit, cut, stab and destroy” everything within the Chamber.
The UNP-led UNF MPs, he recalled, had watched patiently while doing everything possible to protect Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and also prevent violence that was directed at Parliament Staff, Police, equipment, furniture and books including the Bible, by the group of aggressive UPFA MPs.
Courtesy: The Island
