Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today said that he desires for the entire Parliament to be a government.

Speaking at a felicitation ceremony for past pupils of Royal College, Colombo who are in parliament, Wickremesinghe said that they have worked together with all parties. In a way this is a challenge, in a way it’s an opportunity, the UNP leader said.

He added that after the upcoming election, his intention will be not to form a UNP government, or a UNP-SLFP government and not an anti-Mahinda government. “I want the whole parliament to be a government,” he said.

Wickremesinghe said he believes that all the political parties in the country have a duty towards the people and that they are responsible for the present political system, which allowed for various wrongdoings and malpractices. We made it a form of tribal warfare, which may see us divide, he said.

He stated that the country’s people lost a lot during the war and lost another 5 years after it. “Now the time has come to make up for what we lost, to ensure that in the next five years we put the country right.”

Wickremesinghe stated that in order to provide Sri Lanka’s younger generation with a chance to build a life anew, the mindset of the people has to change.  

“Can we for five years put parties aside and keep the country first, work something out and at the end of the 5 years go back and contest and let the one who has the majority form the government and other go in the opposition?” he asked.

The Parliament is expected to be dissolved on April 23 and a general election be held as promised in the 100 Days Program of President Maithripala Sirisena.