The President made these comments addressing over 5,000 small scale rubber smallholders at Temple Trees yesterday. While referring to the opposition’s inability to come up with a suitable candidate to represent them, President Rajapaksa in a lighter note said: “I am shadow boxing these days as there is nobody else in the ring”. The identity of the so called common opposition candidate the President observed, remains a mystery to the people and also a mystery to even those who proposed such a move.

“At least I hope, after today, you will come to know who is going to be the biggest ever loser,” the President said.

President Rajapaksa also questioned how an opposition which cannot find its own leader could give leadership to the country.

The President said his government had eradicated the three decade scourge of terrorism and in the aftermath had ushered unprecedented socio-economic development.

While noting that his government could continue to lead the country to further heights, the President urged the public to extend the trust and confidence they had placed in him in the future as well.(PRIU/KH)