He told a news conference in Colombo that in keeping with the directive of the Elections Commissioner for candidates at the Presidential Election to declare their assets Rajapaksa should also reveal how wealthy he was.

"Our Common Presidential Candidate, General Fonseka will declare his assets on January 17.If President Rajapaksa is a law abiding citizen he should do the same."

MP Dissanayake said that Rajapaksa was using various persons in government to sling mud at Fonseka, but they were not saying that Rajapaksa was honest. "The strategy is to tarnish General Fonseka’s reputation as an honest public servant. In effect what they are trying to say is that both General Fonseka and President Rajapaksa are rogues.But baseless allegations against General Fonseka will not stick."

"Sri Lanka’s annual income is in the region of Rs.800 billion and 75 per cent of that is consumed by the President and institutions that come under his purview," he said. "All tenders called are channelled through a company controlled by the Rajapaksa family and they are not accountable to anyone. The Rajapaksa’s motto is Ratata Pera Paula(Family before country).A Commission to investigate the Rajapaksa family will be appointed after General Fonseka is installed as the sixth President of Sri Lanka on January 26."

Rajapaksa has stooped to the lowest form of politicking by getting posters of General Fonseka removed and preventing parties supporting Fonseka from obtaining public venues, to hold their meetings and events, he alleged. "I appeal to the President to face the election on an equal footing, without abusing his executive powers."

MP Dissanayake alleged that the government was also responsible for a series of recent attacks on JVP cadres, offices and vehicles.

Courtesy: Island