Minister Maithripala Sirisena today said that his recent remarks regarding Ranil Wickramasinghe not backing Gamini Dissanayake at the 1994 Presidential Election, should come as no surprise to those who were alive at that time and witnessed the election campaign.

Addressing a meeting in Mahaweli area in Polonnaruwa the minister had claimed that UNP Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe had provided critical information to former President Kumaratunga to ensure the defeat of Gamini Dissanayake in the 1994 election.

It was not personal comment, it was a political question that I had raised, he said referring to the backlash from the UNP following the controversial statement.

Sirisena pointed out that during the 1994 election he was the secretary in charge of opposition information and secret affairs, despite UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake claiming he was just a ‘peon’ of the SLFP.

“However, I prefer being in a peon of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party than the General Secretary of the UNP,” he expressed.

Speaking at a press conference today the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary and Health Minister accepted Tissa Attanayake’s challenge to prove his allegations that Ranil Wickramasignhe secretly plotted for the defeat of the late Gamini Dissanayake.

“However, I cannot be responsible for what will happen to the UNP after I accept that challenge,” he said.

Sirisena said he was flooded with phone calls and letters from UNP seniors asking him to participate in a debate with them and that they would reveal more information than him.

Therefore I kindly request Ranil Wickramasinghe and Tissa Attanayake to avoid making a mess of this issue which will only lead in a path of destruction, he pleaded.

Maithripala Sirisena stated that he has a large number of written evidence and documentsto prove his statement and that he is willing to take up Attanayake on his challenge.