President Maithripala Sirisena, addressing the special convention of the SLFP, severely criticised UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and described him as a "political curse". 

"I know members of the UNP loathe me. But I must tell them that I acted with the intention of saving the UNP," Sirisena said, in his speech. 

"I issued five Gazette notifications last month. I used my executive powers to sign them with the intention of protecting the country," he said while blaming Wickremesinghe for destroying the good governance government. 

"I don't have a personal problem with Ranil Wickremesinghe. But he does not suit the country. His line of thinking does not suit the country.He doesn't respect our culture and traditional values. He does not feel for the ordinary people in the country," Sirisena said

Sirisena also added that the current political crisis was created by Wickremesinghe. 

He also promised to resolve the current political crisis in seven days and asked the public to trust his words.