• Awaits people’s invite to run for Presidency 

Claiming that it is not possible to change Governments by carrying out struggles, Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said that he is definitely ready to accept an invitation from the people to run for the upcoming Presidential Election.

Speaking to the media, he said that a change in the Government could be made only through an Election, and that the people should make right decisions during such a time. "We cannot topple Governments again by carrying out struggles. No new Governments can be appointed by doing so. It is through an Election that we can form a new Government. When there is an election, the people should choose the right person without following the old tradition of voting for someone for having attended funerals and everything." When queried regarding the upcoming Presidential Election, he said that the Presidential candidate to whom the people should vote must have proved themselves to be a successful person who has a backbone, and can make suitable decisions, and is intelligent and farsighted in the current situation. "It is up to the people to choose such a candidate." When queried by the media as to whether he would run for the Presidential Election, Fonseka said: "If an invitation comes from the people, I will definitely accept it. Not only me, any MP is ready to accept such an invitation."

His remarks come in the wake of recent reports to the effect that he had informed certain SJB MPs that he did not intend to support SJB and Opposition Leader, Sajith Premadasa in the upcoming Presidential Election. Subsequently, it was reported that the SJB was considering initiating disciplinary action against him, and even removing him as the SJB's Chairman.

Fonseka, who is the 18th Army Commander, following his retirement in 2009, was nominated as the common candidate by a coalition of political parties including the United National Party and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna. He was defeated in the Presidential Election, and subsequently elected to the Parliament in 2010 and 2015 - during which time he held several Cabinet Ministerial posts - and then in 2020 as an SJB MP.