NPP Economic Council member Sunil Handunnetti told a news conference that the government was planning to sell state property such as SriLankan Airlines, Telecom, CEB and Litro Gas at a bargain to gain commissions knowing that they would not be elected at the next election.

He said the government has no mandate to sell state resources, state institutions or enterprises and added that the government must stop plans to hastily sell such property to siphon huge commissions at the eleventh hour.

Handunnetti said people must come forward against any moves to sell off state resources which would affect the people in future generations to come and pointed out that any interested party may be India or China must reconsider their deals as a future government with a mandate would be entrusted with powers to take decisions against such deals.

DMN