Jathika Hela Urumaya Parliamentarian Athuraliye Rathana thera yesterday vowed to do everything possible to defeat President Mahinda Rajapaksa if he contested the next Presidential Election without implementing a constitutional amendment.

Rathana thera has made this remark yesterday at the launch of a proposed draft for a constitutional amendment by “Pivithuru Hetak” organization, which aims at curtailing the powers of the executive presidency and introducing other reforms.

“A ‘proper’ President should respect the constitution of the country, he should embrace it and act in a way that sets good example as the first citizen of the country.

“What do you think should be our agenda? Should we bow to the chase of power?” Rathana thera asked from the audience.

Rathana thera also said that the party made a mistake by voting for the 18th Amendment to the Constitution.

Rathana thera pledged that he would do all that is in his power to ensure that President Mahinda Rajaopaksa loses the presidential election if he does not abolish the ‘tainted’ executive presidency.

However, Athuraliye Rathana thera did not give a clear hint as to whether the Jathika Hela Urumaya would support the government at the upcoming elections.

The 18th Amendment was passed in September 2009 and it removed the term limits for the executive president. Earlier, a president could be elected to the post only twice.

Furthermore, the 18th Amendment abolished the independent commissions that were introduced by the 17th Amendment.

The meeting organized by “Pivithuru Hetak” organization took place yesterday at BMICH with the participation of Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, Leader of Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, former Chief Justice Sarath N Silva and parliamentarians of both the government and the opposition.