31 August 2019 04:11 pm
Former Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) President Upul Jayasuriya on behalf of United Lawyers Association urged Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to step down from the United National Party (UNP) leadership and make way for a new leader.
Addressing a news briefing yesterday, he stressed that the UNP is one of the mainstream democratic parties was heading towards disintegration.
“Although the UNP has had illustrious leaders since the independence era, the present leader, who has led the party for nearly quarter a century, had led it to the ground,” Jayasuriya said.
He said the UNP, which had a glorified history had faced with consecutive election defeats subsequent to the take over of the party by Mr Wickremesinghe.
“Hence, there should be a change in the leadership prior to the announcement of the UNP presidential candidate,” Jayasuriya added.
He proceeded to say that Mr Wickremesinghe could not jell and work hand in hand with President Maithripala Sirisena, who was a simple person.
“If Premier Wickremesinghe continues to be the UNP leader, the ruination of the UNP is inevitable,” Jayasuriya opined.
“Thus, we reiterate that Mr Wickremesinghe should respectively relinquish as the UNP leader and make way for a second run of the UNP to take over the way forward,” he added.
Meanwhile, responding to the remarks made by UNP Legal Secretary Nissanka Nanayakkara that the candidate for the presidential election could be named only after the Election Commission notifys the date to accept nominations for the election, Jayasuriya said it was a baseless statement which contained absolutely no truth. (Sheain Fernandopulle)
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