Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera said that the organization has enough competent laymen to contest in the forthcoming general election.

Speaking to Asian Mirror on the decision to put forward only lay candidates, Gnanasara Thera said that it is not a difficult task to find such competent people. Even the innocent farmers living in the villages are better than most of the current MPs, he said.

When asked why the BBS was not fielding monks as candidates, Gnanasara Thera said that entering parliament, or even the Provincial Councils or Municipal Councils, is not what monks should do. Their duty is to guide and mould the necessary leadership, he said.

BBS was still undecided on whether it will contest the elections throughout the island, Gnanasara Thera said. However, the BBS will definitely contest in the election, he added.