00:00There were certain things that we did right, but I think certain things we would have done
00:04much better.
00:05So, unfortunately with the circumstances that we had to go through, we were facing a tough
00:10election anyway.
00:11Globally, every government after Covid kept on changing, so we did not adapt, I would
00:17say.
00:18So, I think we have got the message that we need to adapt.
00:20Welcome viewers.
00:21You all know that Sri Lanka Parliament elections got over few days before.
00:24The NPP registered landslide victory and they got two-third majority in Parliament.
00:28On the other hand, last ruling party of Sri Lanka, the SLPP, got very less votes than
00:34rejected votes.
00:36What is happening?
00:37What is the reasons for that?
00:39Let's talk.
00:40We are with Mr. Namal Rajapakshe, National Organiser of SLPP.
00:44Hello sir.
00:46As I mentioned in my opening, SLPP's vote share fall drastically.
00:52What is the reasons behind that?
00:54I think the challenges that we have faced within last four years and to be honest, the
01:00SLPP-led coalition has been ruling Sri Lankan politics ever since 1994.
01:06So I would say our setup has become very old in a different sense.
01:10But at the same time, we believed that we had a golden opportunity in 2019, but unfortunately
01:15with the Covid-19 pandemic and the challenges that we were handed over by the previous government,
01:21there were certain things that we did right.
01:24But I think certain things we would have done much better.
01:26So unfortunately with the circumstances that we had to go through, we were facing a tough
01:32election anyway.
01:33So we were left with the challenge whether we are going on a coalition where the party
01:39would have ended up nowhere, or are we going to take ourselves and then build from where
01:44we stopped.
01:45So which we decided, you know, as a party we should go on our own for the presidential
01:49election and we faced, I would say, it was a tough election, but then the outcome was
01:56not as we expected.
01:57But then the parliamentary election, we have gained more votes than the presidential election
02:02and everyone expected us to only get one seat from nationalist.
02:05But then we managed to secure two seats other than nationalist seat and also we lost a couple
02:11of seats in different districts marginally.
02:13So which shows that there is a growth in the party as well.
02:16So this is politics, you know.
02:17We need to face these challenges and we need to restructure ourselves and move forward.
02:23I spoke with many of your party men.
02:24They said Mahinda's reign is known for growth.
02:28Even the common public is the same.
02:30They have done so much to Sri Lanka in past.
02:32But in present, you witnessed a huge downfall.
02:38What is the reasons and did you misjudge the people's pulse?
02:42I think more than that, that we haven't upgraded ourselves.
02:46The era my father, Mahindra Rajapaksa, was ruling, that is before 2015.
02:52The circumstances were different.
02:53And then the pandemic came in in 2019, so the entire dimension was changed.
02:58And the needs and the demands and also the approach has changed in the public, with social
03:02media growing rapidly during that couple of years.
03:05And then globally, every government after COVID kept on changing.
03:11So we did not adapt, I would say.
03:13So I think we have got the message that we need to adapt and move forward.
03:19Last 10 days I was in Sri Lanka, I spoke with many people in Colombo, in north, upcountry.
03:24Unanimously they said, we are fed up with traditional politics.
03:29We lose hope on traditional politicians, fed up with corruption charges and other things,
03:34so that we support AKD.
03:36And he has huge support across the country.
03:40How could you overcome this and how could you regain your hope on you and your party
03:46over this?
03:47I think firstly the challenge is on the current NPP government.
03:50They need to prove the allegations.
03:52They need to implement law.
03:54But I must also reiterate that they should not use this power to victimize the opposition.
04:01So if they try to create fake cases, if they try to fix evidence and try to victimize politically
04:09and then gain mileage, then eventually people will realize the truth.
04:13But if there is honest corruption or downfall or bribery allegations or whatever it is,
04:19do a proper investigation and make sure that you implement the law, number one.
04:25Then the public will understand whether we are lying or they are lying.
04:31So I think it is in the hands of the current president to prove the allegations that he
04:36himself has built for the last so many years.
04:39And on the other hand, I think development-wise, this government must carry out a rapid economic
04:45development plan, educational reforms, because to be honest, most of our educational reforms
04:49were on hold because of JVP-led trade unions.
04:54So today the government themselves with the president can make their own trade unions
04:58sit and understand that the reforms need to be done.
05:01So likewise, it is up to the government to perform on the one hand, on one side.
05:06But on the other hand, I think as a party, yes, we will restructure ourselves.
05:11And we believe we are a progressive party, and we represent the next generation.
05:14We believe in becoming a progressive partner in the global economy.
05:20And that is our goal and that is our aim.
05:22And we have to be self-sufficient in agriculture.
05:24And at the same time, we should allow the modern economy to take place in the country,
05:29modern transactions to be taken place in the country.
05:32So we will structure ourselves around that as a nationalist party, but we are not a racist
05:36party.
05:37And we are not a racist party.
05:39I must reiterate that because sometimes nationalism seems to be taken as racism.
05:44But we are a nationalist party, and we believe that Sri Lanka shouldn't be divided.
05:48And all cultures and religions and languages should be protected.
05:51So we will be a real true opposition for the government to make sure that the government
05:58is being checked and it's balanced.
06:02The Sri Lankan government has to ensure good relationship with India, US and other countries.
06:07But JVP is known as traditional Indian hackers.
06:10What do you think?
06:11Is it possible for them to maintain good rapport with India?
06:14If not, what will be going to happen?
06:17I hope they will maintain a strong relationship with India and the neighborhood.
06:21Because Prime Minister Modi's neighborhood first policy has benefited most of the countries.
06:26And we have seen that when the region tried to move out of it, the countries have started
06:32facing a lot of challenges.
06:33So I hope the current government will maintain that friendly, robust relationship with India.
06:40And of course, with the rest of the world as well, keeping their previous policies aside,
06:45they should adapt.
06:46One last question, sir.
06:48You spoke a lot about Sri Lankan politics and Sri Lanka-India relations.
06:52I came from Tamil Nadu.
06:53In your answers, you said we are not a racist party.
06:56But in our land, the SLPP is known as a racist party.
07:02I want to take a message from you to Tamil Nadu.
07:05What is the takeaway message for Tamil Nadu?
07:07Well, I think the Tamil Nadu state has always misread Rajapaksa family.
07:12Because we were never fighting against Tamils.
07:14We were fighting against LTT.
07:16We have nothing against Tamils or Tamil Nadu.
07:19But unfortunately, certain lobby groups try to project that the Rajapaksa family and SLPP
07:25is against Tamil Nadu.
07:27And that went up to one, at one time, it went up to the extent of interpreting as Rajapaksas
07:33are anti-Indian.
07:34So we are not.
07:35We are not anti-Indian or we are not anti-Tamil Nadu.
07:37And I believe Sri Lanka must maintain a strong relationship with India and Tamil Nadu.
07:43Because as you know, Tamil Nadu state probably will become a trillion dollar economy in the
07:46next couple of years.
07:48And the domestic traveling tourism is around 100 million, domestic and international.
07:54So Sri Lanka can benefit a lot.
07:56And also if you look at the energy exports, you know, Sri Lanka can become an energy hub.
07:59Where Sri Lanka can actually export energy to Tamil Nadu state and via from Tamil Nadu
08:04state to the rest of India.
08:05So I think we should rebuild our relationship with the south part of India.
08:10And that is something that I think I have to do from my side because as a new generation
08:15politician and I'm open for it and I invite politicians in Tamil Nadu and the people in
08:20Tamil Nadu to understand the reality and you know, don't believe what you see on social
08:25media, but get to know us, get to know us properly.
08:29Then you realize that, you know, we are not racist.
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