No decision on leadership; UNP Parliamentary group ends abruptly

UNP Parliamentary Group meeting which was held today at its Headquarters Sirikotha ended up abruptly without a decision as to who would become the next leader of the party.

Informed sources said some members wanted a vote to decide on the leadership but several including Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Vajira Abeywardene, General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and Sagala Ratnayake had staged a walk out opposing the vote.

Others who remained had conducted an unofficial vote where majority had wanted Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa as the UNP leader.

MP Harsha De Silva in a tweet said the meeting ended abruptly as majority asked for a leadership vote.

“General Secretary and others went out of the meeting while others who remained conducted a vote to make Sajith Premadasa the leader. All 52 members present voted in favour of Mr. Premadasa,” he said.

Meanwhile, UNP National Organizer Navin Dissanayake and General Secretary Kariyawasam said Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and Mr. Premadasa will meet next week to come to a final decision. (Yohan Perera)