Defence Minister Gotabaya Rajapaksa launches Presidential campaign

Colombo: Former Sri Lankan Defence Minister Gotabaya Rajapaksa has formally launched his campaign for the island nation’s upcoming Presidential election on November 16, media reports said. Rajapakse, who is also a leader of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), launched his campaign at an election rally at the Salgado Stadium in the ancient Buddist city of Anuradhapura on Wednesday, reports the Daily Mirror newspaper. Former President and his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa, opposition party leaders, MPs, people’s representatives of the SLPP, also participated in Gotabaya’s rally. While addressing the rally, Gotabaya focused on sweeping promises and populist policies that emphasized writing off farmers’ debts, ensuring stable prices, establishing a pension scheme for farmers and continuing the fertiliser subsidy, reported the Colombo-based Daily Financial Times newspaper. Addressing hundreds of supporters, he blamed the current government under incumbent President Maithripala Sirisena for undermining the country’s defence and security apparatus. (IANS)

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