by Kalinga Weerakkody
UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said that President Chandrika Kumaratunga and her ‘hand picked’ Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanakaya have two different versions of the constitutional reforms.

"While President is saying that when she is elected she would go ahead with the proposed constitutional reforms without holding discussions with the relative parties, the Premier is saying that they would resume talks with the clergy and relative persons", Wikremesinghe told a press conference which was held at the Opposition Leader’s residence yesterday.

He said this indicates that the president is not willing to bow to the people’s opposition for the constitution but is desperate on bringing it to parliament.

The President is trying to disregard the people" he claimed.

He said though he challenged President

Kumaratunga till the eleventh hour to come for a live debate on all accusations made by her and Premier, including the allegations that his party was having a secret pact with the LTTE and other key issues over the Swaranavahini’s Ratu Ira programe, she didn’t turn up because she knew she didn’t have the answers to the cock and bull stories made up by her to mislead the voters.

Wickremesinghe stressed that he was convinced of a stable victory in the October 10 general election.

Pointing out to the latest election related incidents he said that Lal Ranasinghe, a UNP supporter of Polgahawela was shot dead by an unidentified group while the Kegalle UNP candidate Sarath Bandara was abducted with two others from Mawathagama, Aranayake in Kegalle on Saturday.

The Chairman of the UNP and the Gampaha district candidate Karu Jayasooriya said that by the help of underworld elements and army deserters some Ministers of the PA government are trying to rig the election. He said they have already complained to the Election Commissioner regarding such attempts. He also said that they have reported to the Election Commissioner of the use of government vehicles for the election campaign by the PA Ministers.

" The general expectation of the people are to elect a new government and they are determined to vote for a change of government though state media depicts the PA victory by forged charts and numbers" he said. The Chairman also requested from all government servants and Samurdhi animators to carryout their work in an unbiased manner.

Ex-UNP MP and Gampaha district candidate Anura Bandaranaike said that "The President is totally out of focus of the heavy burdens that are being laid upon on the common masses by the government. People are not worried about the constitution. What they need is a way to ease their day to day burdens which have enormously affected their lives".

Answering the questions raised by journalists, the opposition leader was of the opinion that the constitutional reforms are not the mere solution to the ethnic crisis in the country. He was of the view that it should not be a unilateral procedure. It is an issue of political, military, economy and social etc. He said that there should be a round of discussions with all parties concerned and must come to a broad agreement with them. He said that the top most requirement of their government would be to start a war on unemployment.

When asked how crucial was the election to him he said. "It’s crucial for the country". When asked how many seats would they win he said ‘ It is going to be well over 113’