24 January 2021 07:45 pm
Many who had pledged their support to Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) earlier will rejoin UNP within six months followed by the members of local bodies who have already begun to come back to the fold, party seniors said today.
UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene and General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara told a press conference in Kandy that 13 members of local bodies who had joined the SJB had already come back to the fold and more members of local bodies who had pledged their support to SJB from Galle District will rejoin the party shortly.
“ See what will happen in six months as many who defected to SJB will return to the fold as UNP begins to emerge as a powerful force in the months to come,” Mr. Range Bandara said.
Asked about prominent members of UNP who had distanced themselves from the party including National Organiser Navin Dissanayake , Ravi Karunanayake and Arjuna Ranatunga , Mr Wijewardene said the party leadership will begin discussions with them shortly to become active once again. “These members have informed that they will hand over set of proposals to the party leadership and we are confident that they will remain with us,” Mr. Wijewardene said.
It was reiterated that Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will be sworn in as UNP National List MP at an appropriate time.
Both Mr. Wijewardene and Range Bandara met the party activists in Kandy yesterday and announced that they will meet the activists in Hambantota next week.( Yohan Perera JAL Jayasinghe and Shane Seneviratne)