Former top military commander, general Sarath Fonseka will take on his ex-boss Mahinda Rajapaksa as battle lines for Sri Lanka's Presidential elections early next year were drawn.
The candidature of Fonseka, the hero of the war against LTTE was endorsed by a key leftist hardline Sinhala group JVP and the main United National Party (UNP) said he would be their choice of a joint opposition nominee.
President Rajapaksa on Monday had called for a snap poll which according to election department officials would take place between January 11 and February 13 with the final date set to be announced within the next two weeks.
Media reports quoting the election officials said "we will be in a position to announce a date for elections after accepting the nomination papers in the next two weeks. The JVP or People's Liberation Front had earlier backed Rajapaksa and now its senior lawmaker said they had secured agreement with Fonseka, 58.
Sources in the main United National Party (UNP) told PTI that Fonseka is expected to be invited as the opposition Presidential candidate after detailed discussions on the issue at the party meeting on Friday.
This will be followed by meeting of the Opposition 18-party United National Front (UNF) headed by UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. Fonseka, meanwhile, today told reporters that he will abide by the wishes of the people while deciding on his future course of action. He said he will take a decision soon.
Meanwhile, the Marxist JVP has formally invited Fonseka to be their common candidate at the Presidential elections. Briefing reporters here, JVP Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayaka said discussions with Fonseka have been successful.
The UNP has also made it clear it had no problems regarding the decision taken by JVP on support to Fonseka . JVP has made the support to Fonseka conditional on his fully implementing the 17th amendment that includes check on powers of executive Presidency. The UNP has made similar demands.
Both the parties also want steps to abolish Executive Presidency in the country and expeditious resettlement of the Tamil IDPs in the North. Wicremasinghe last week declared that the Opposition
alliance headed by him would consider nominating General (retired) Sarath Fonseka as its candidate subject to some conditions.
He wanted Fonseka to approve a 10-point common minimum programme that included the abolition or substantial dilution of powers of the executive presidency .
The conditions also include important portfolios in the Cabinet for the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Janatha Vimukhthi Peramuna (JVP) and ensuring speedy resettlement of internally displaced persons in the north.
The condition included establishment of independent commissions for good governance and appointment of Wickremesinghe as caretaker prime minister in the event of Fonseka getting elected as the President.
