NewsThe Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) today (Oct 2) accused the United National Party (UNP) of trying to prevent the presidential candidature of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa by moving court. Dullas Alahapperuma, a spokesman for the SLPP candidate, made these remarks in the backdrop of an ongoing case challenging the dual citizenship of Rajapaksa. "Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, who is 70 years old, had been a Sri Lankan citizen for 68 years," the spokesman said recalling that Rajapaksa had obtained US citizenship in 2003. He added that Rajapaksa had obtained Sri Lankan citizenship again in 2005 to undertake the responsibility of defeating the LTTE - a task which three Executive Presidents had failed to achieve. Civil society activists, Gamini Viyangoda and Prof. Chandraguptha Thenuwara had moved court arguing that the dual citizenship of Rajapaksa was invalid.

Source: Sunday Times October 02, 2019 12:33 UTC