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Last Updated : 2024-04-29 05:00:00
25 November 2019 07:58 pm - 8 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe informed party seniors that he did not intend to hold leadership for long, Party General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said today.
He told a press conference that Mr. Wickremesinghe had already told party seniors he would ensure party unity.
“A new political party will not be formed since Mr. Wickremesinghe expressed he would not cling to leadership for a long time. However, he stressed that the unity of the party should be preserved,” he said.
He said party members including NDF presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa would discuss and decide on the opposition leader’s post without allowing any division among the party.
“I fulfilled my responsibility as the party’s General Secretary and named Mr. Wickremesinghe as opposition leader. I did this as one cannot keep the post vacant for long. It is possible for the parliamentary group and the working committee to discuss and resolve the matter,” he said.
When asked if the party suffered defeat owing to its failure in the previous regime to take action against corruption, he said efforts were made for it by establishing the FCID and special courts.
“There were delays but officers who played a role in bringing wrongdoers to justice should not be hunted. One cannot point fingers at individuals for election defeat as everyone played a role in the presidential campaign of Mr. Premadasa. Also, statements made by certain UNP members resulted in the party losing a significant number of Buddhist votes,” he said.
MPs Ashu Marasinghe, Sandeeth Samarasinghe and Wijepala Hettiarachchi who participated in the event called for party unity and stressed the need to attract votes from the Buddhist community. They said the party should follow the advice of the Maha Sangha and focus on the needs of the Buddhists. (Yohan Perera)
Rohan Monday, 25 November 2019 08:18 PM
Ranil should step down immediately and give room for sajith or KAru. 30 years we already defeated with the same leadership and not only with this election result. So Mr, Ranil should deeply think about this and also people's betterment
nizam Monday, 25 November 2019 08:31 PM
I will believe it when it happens. Going by past experiences i have NO faith in this statement. He has fooled people so many times about the UNP leadership - we are not getting fooled again. Sajith should proceed with building a new party.
UNPer Monday, 25 November 2019 10:43 PM
What is there for Ranil to say that he will not cling on to the Party Leadership " for long". Already he has clung on for donkeys years and now must quit immediately.
LAW Monday, 25 November 2019 10:49 PM
Watch this RW will give up the reigns one month before parliamentary elections.
Sando Tuesday, 26 November 2019 10:03 AM
Will give up Leadership when the younger members are mature and old enough. Between 2020 - 2025 that would happen.
Sunil Tuesday, 26 November 2019 10:22 AM
He should have done so thirty years ago. This would have saved a lot of damage to the country and the party.
Shareef Tuesday, 26 November 2019 12:01 PM
You mean longer than he already has???!!
ranjith Tuesday, 26 November 2019 12:10 PM
In democratic party party leader resigns immediately after a election defeat we know after RW took over the party there is place in the party only for his henchman others are sidelined WHAT DO YOU MEAN RW WILL RESIGN SOON RW norms it is after 5 years what a shame can you tell me how many elections UNP under his able leadership
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