• His media unit said that Mr. Jayasuriya has obtained the lifetime party membership

By Yohan Perera   

Former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday denounced the claims made by some sections in the UNP that he is not a member of a party and stressed that he had obtained the membership for the year 2020.   

The statement that the former Speaker is not a member of UNP is false and is an argument that is being made without a proper knowledge about the party,” a statement from the former Speaker’s media unit said.   “Mr. Jayasuriya has obtained the lifetime membership of the party under the 1000-membership drive launched by him together with party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. Besides he applied for the membership of the party as soon as he vacated the post of Constitutional Council Chairman on August 21, 2020. Drawing criteria which was not considered when deciding to field outsiders as presidential candidates will push the party and its membership to wilderness,” the statement said.