In what seemed to be his final press conference before the presidential election, Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena personally assured that President Mahinda Rajapaksa and members of his family will be protected following the opposition’s victory at the upcoming presidential election.

The press conference was attended by almost all the top level leaders of the common opposition including former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, UNP Leadership Council Chairman karu Jayasuriya, Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera, Sarath Fonseka, Rajitha Senaratne, Athuraliya Rathana Thera and Patali Champika Ranawaka. It was held at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Colombo 07.

Addressing the press conference, the Common Candidate said he had no links to terrorists. “It was President Mahinda Rajapaksa who bribed the LTTE in 2005 to win the presidential election.,” Sirisena said.

The Common Candidate also reiterated that he did not sign any “secret agreement” with any party to draw their support at the presidential election. ’Everyone who supported us accepted our principles and joined the common opposition,” he explained.

Former Army Commander and Leader of the Democratic Party Sarath Fonseka also hit back at the government saying the government was making false accusations on “tiger links” while giving protection to leaders of the LTTE. The former Army Commander was referring to former LTTE Leaders who have aligned themselves with the government such as Kumaran Pathmanathan, Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, Daya Master and George Master.

Fonseka also asserted that the government was spreading rumours in the face of a possible defeat on January 08.

Commenting on the government’s allegations over the term “Mr. Parabhakaran”, former President Kumaratunga said even President Mahinda Rajapaksa referred to the slain LTTE Leader as “Mr. Prabhakaran”, at one point.