NOVEMBER 23: Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has kicked up a storm in the Sri Lankan presidential campaign, sniping at President Chandrika Kumarantunga that he would hand her over to LTTE chief Prabhakaran if elected.A front page report in the state-owned The Daily News quoted Wickremesinghe, the United National Party (UNP) leader and presidential candidate, telling an election rally: ``I shall not hand over the country to Prabhakaran. However, I shall, if necessary, hand over Chandrika to LTTE leader Prabhakaran. She can go and reside in Wanni.''The apparently witty reference to the president's handling of the ethnic conflict in the northern province follows Wickremesinghe's earlier statement that if elected he would hand over the administration of the north to the LTTE for two years.``Tomorrow on TV they (the ruling party) will show this and say what a hard-hearted man Ranil is. I know Chandrika from my young days,'' Wickremesinghe is reported to have said.His earlier statement came under fire from the president as well as many other Sinhala organisations. They have questioned the integrity of the opposition leader.The UNP hit back by saying it would take the ruling party to court on the false propaganda being carried out by it.
