Sri Lankan President Sirisena will not retire in 2020

Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena is not likely to retire from politics in 2020.

Refuting the media reports, Sirisena said that he will not retire in 2020 as more work needs to be done in the country, as reported by the Columbo Page on Tuesday.

While addressing a May Day rally (Labour Day rally) held at Mawadiwembu Ground, Chenkaladi Sri Lankan President said he will use the experiences he gained through the past three years in this regard and will join with honest politicians, who love the country and the people to achieve success in those programs.

He noted that there are certain social media sites which have published about his retirement in 2020.

He further said that his Sri Lanka Freedom Party will introduce a new political process to build the nation and further bring reforms within the party. SLFP will turn into a people-centric party as claimed by Sirisena.

He further requested new people to join the party.

He said the working class and the trade unions can play a pivotal role in building the national reconciliation.

While commenting about the age-old Sinhalese-Tamil conflict in the country, the President said, "As you know all of us faced a nearly three-decade-long brutal war and in that conflict irrespective of nationality the lives of Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslims were lost, leaders belong to every nationality died,"

Former Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne, Senior Ministers including Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, SLFP General Secretary Minister Duminda Dissanayake, UPFA General Secretary Minister Mahinda Amaraweera and others participated in the May Day rally.