President Hints At Possibility Of His PM Candidacy In 2020: "No Retirement After Abolition Of Presidency"

December 26, 2015

President Maithripala Sirisena has hinted at the possibility of his Prime Ministerial candidacy at the General Election in 2020. 

"I will not retire from politics. Politicians cannot retire from their social engagements. It is true that the Executive Presidency will be abolished. We will make strong and comprehensive measures in that direction. But that does not mean that I will retire from politics after the abolition of Executive Presidency," the President said in an interview with 'Sunday Lankadeepa.'

When asked about his plans for the future, the President said he never "planned" his political moves. 

"When I became the Common Candidate of the opposition, i didn't plan it for a long time. I came to know about the move at the last moment. My intention is to  fulfil today's requirements," the President had said. 

The government has already decided to fully abolish the Executive Presidency at the end of President Sirisena's first term in office.

However, sources from the SLFP group supporting President Sirisena said he would certainly be the Prime Ministerial candidate of the party at the General election in 2020. 

"The President will continue to function as the leader of the SLFP. It is crystal clear that 2020 will not mark the end of his 49 year long political career," a highly placed political source said.  

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