President Mahinda Rajapaksa said at the SLFP’s 19 Convention in Colombo yesterday that he would resist attempts by any world power to grab anything from him with might and main but would not hesitate to grant anything that the people expected of him.

Thereafter, the President requested tens of thousands of SLFP members and office bearers gathered at the Khettarama Stadium to tell him which election they preferred to have first—presidential or parliamentary. The crowd shouted with one voice that they wanted a presidential election. A smiling President said he was convinced and promised to refer their decision to the party’s decision making body for endorsement.

The SLFP-led incumbent government, the President said, had not been able to have even a person of its choice elected as Speaker in Parliament but it had been strengthened over the years to such an extent that today it was winning crucial parliamentary votes with a majority as high as 44. "We can get some more, if we really want to,’ he said laughingly to a cheering audience.

The President said the SLFP was not hate-driven. "Today we are displaying very prominently on this occasion even the pictures of those who blocked our path to success," he said pointing presumably at the picture of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, placed among those of other former SLFP leaders.

President Rajapaksa did not forget to fire a broadside at the Opposition. He said today’s Opposition would stoop to any level to capture power and it was opposed to the country rather than the government.

"Unfortunately, the oldest political party in this country led by leaders like DS," the President said, "was not in a position even to nominate a presidential candidate." It had come to such a pass that it had to go behind people seeking a presidential candidate. "What a pathetic situation!" the President exclaimed. He asked how such a party could be entrusted with governing the country.

The SLFP Convention had attracted the largest number of foreign representatives and their participation was indicative of the support Sri Lanka received from the rest of the world. He requested the audience to accord a rousing welcome to the foreigners and there was a loud applause for the foreign delegates.

Unlike some of his predecessors who had ‘rolled back the electoral map’ to strengthen their hands, the present government, the President said, was holding elections for that purpose.

President Rajapaksa said it was regrettable that some of those who had been instrumental in defeating terrorism had broken ranks at a time when the government was engaged in rebuilding the country. He said ‘fire’ alone did not make one a patriot; patriotism had to stem from one’s heart. "Today’s patriot," said the President, "may turn out to be a traitor,"

While the country was fighting a fierce war against the so-called most ruthless terrorist organisation in the world, the President said, there had been several development projects like harbours and roads. Recruitment to the public service had been made and many job opportunities created. He said his government would take all possible steps to bring down the cost of living.

The President said Sri Lanka under his stewardship would startle the world with its development. He promised to dig the first oil well in 2010. "Your vehicles will be running on Sri Lanka oil soon," he said.

Now that the war on terror had been won, President Rajapaksa said his government would declare war on waste and corruption. He said operations were being conducted against the underworld and they would be successfully concluded.

When he unveiled the Mahinda Chintana programme promising a unitary State, skepticism had been expressed in some quarters, President Rajapaksa said. After the war resumed, the same people had warned that the ‘Beliatte tactics’ would not work with the LTTE. Now that the war had been fought and won, the same elements were spreading a story that ‘Mahinda may have won the war but he cannot develop the country’. He urged his detractors to venture out and see for themselves the kind of development taking place in all parts of the country. The prosecution of the war, he said, had not inhibited the national development in any way.