Intending to form an all party government after this year's parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today asked Sri Lankan political parties to change their mindset to forge a national unity.
"People have asked me, are you going to form a UNP Government, a UNP-SLFP Government or an anti Mahinda (Rajapaksa) Government. My answer to all that is no. I want the whole parliament to be in the Government.
"Our mindset must change. Can we, for five years being in different political parties, put the country first, work something out and at the end of the five years contest and let the one who has the majority form the government and the others be in the opposition.?," Wickremesinghe asked.
Wickremesinghe, 65, who heads the United National Party (UNP), said all political parties in the country have a duty to ensure that Sri Lanka is driven in the correct path forward as he intends to form an all political party government following the next parliamentary election which is likely to take place after April this year.
He said the country has lost a lot during the nearly three decades-long civil war and in the five years since the end of the war.
The challenge before him, as the incumbent Prime Minister, is stated to work with all political parties to bring in constitutional reforms.
He said Sri Lanka is facing a crucial period but if all parties work together, it has the opportunity to be the best country in South Asia.
Wickremesinghe became Prime Minister in a minority government after President Maithripala Sirisena's victory over his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa in last month's presidential election.
The current government has a strict 100 day program to introduce democratic reforms before facing the next parliamentary election.
Wickremesimnghe and Sirisena plans to accommodate all political parties in a government of national unity.
