Colombo: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the presidential candidate of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Tuesday launched his election manifesto.

The President, who is contesting for an unprecedented third term, has ceremonially launched his election manifesto ‘Mahinda Chinthana Lowa Dinana Maga’ at a function held at the BMICH under his patronage.

In his policy statement the President, who is facing the increasing support to his challenger common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena, promised to introduce a new constitution which curtails the powers of the executive presidency.

Sirisena, who released his election manifesto on Friday (Dec 19), pledged to introduce a constitutional structure with an Executive that is allied to the Parliament through the Cabinet instead of the present autocratic Executive Presidential System.

Speaking at the occasion the President said he would never let the country become an Egypt, Syria, or Libya and accused that foreign powers have always been in play against the country but that will not deter the large scale development programs the government has started.

“It is because we eliminated terrorism and established democracy, people are talking about good governance,” he said.

The President introduced his first manifesto at the 2005 Presidential election under the theme ‘Mahinda Chintanaya’ and his election manifesto for the 2010 Presidential Election was ‘Mahinda Chintana Idiri Dekma’.

The new manifesto launched today is based on the 2005 and 2010 election manifestos. Accordingly, this manifesto will contain more pragmatic policies for social and economic development of the country, the state-owned national news agency said.

According to the government, a majority of pledges in the 2005 and 2010 election manifesto.