Sri Lanka’s ruling party presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa has asked the main Opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa not to fuel communal hatred over his plans for the devolution of power to the Tamil minority.
His comment came after Rajapaksa accused Premadasa of diluting the unitary character of the state by his plans for power devolution.
Premadasa, the ruling United National Party (UNP) candidate on October 31 released his election manifesto for the November 16 presidential election and proposed the reinstatement of the Senate to ensure devolution of powers to the provinces.
Rajapaksa while criticising Premadasa urged the powerful Buddhist clergy to enter into a debate with the ruling party candidate over his plans for power devolution. He claimed Premadasa’s manifesto seeks to dilute the unitary character of the state.