Ranil's chopper request chopped

By Yohan Perera

The main opposition UNP yesterday charged that the Defence Ministry had turned down a request to provide a helicopter to Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to travel to the East for campaign activities related to the upcoming provincial council elections.

The request on behalf of Mr. Wickremesinghe had been made by UNP Chairman Rukman Senanayake who had also offered to pay a hiring fee for the helicopter.

The party said the government was bound to ensure the security of the Opposition Leader.

It said an adequate number of security personnel had to be deployed if Mr. Wickremesinghe was to travel to the East by road.

However the party said Mr. Wickremesinghe would lead the party’s poll campaign together with all MPs in the East once he returned from Australia. Mr. Wickremesinghe is expected to leave for Australia during the weekend to attend a meeting of the International Democratic Union (IDU). Mr. Wickremesinghe is the President of the IDU Asian Wing.
Meanwhile Defence Ministry sources confirmed the report and said it was not possible to provide a helicopter for political activities.