REFUGEE

An ally of the newly-formed United National Front in Sri Lanka has said if former Chief of Defence Staff Sarath Fonseka wins the next year’s Presidential Polls, UNP chief Ranil Wickremesinghe will be made the Prime Minister.

Fonseka, who resigned as Chief of Defence Staff a fortnight back following a spat with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is likely to be fielded as the common Opposition candidate in the Presidential polls.

“If Fonseka wins, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will be appointed the Prime Minister,” Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Mahajana wing) leader Mangala Samaraweera, said on Thursday.

The SLFP (Mahajana Wing) Central Committee has approved Fonseka’s candidacy, he said.

He said the government had been spreading rumours that Fonseka’s victory would pave the way for a military rule, the Island Newspaper reportedIt could be said that the present government was of a military nature because President Rajapaksa had already appointed 24 high ranking retired military personnel to top posts in his administration,” the newspaper quoted Samaraweera as saying.

Fonseka has all the required credentials to be the next President of the country, Samaraweera said.

A few days ago Ranil Wickremesinghe was named as the leader of the newly constituted 18-party United National Front (UNF).