27 January 2020 02:09 am
Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa yesterday said he is willing to establish unity within the United National Party (UNP) and to lead an alliance which includes UNP as well but that unity should be useful.
Mr Premadasa who met local government members and MPs in Colombo said unity that established within UNP and UNF should bring some useful results for the party members.
“The alliance should be free from those who get into various deals with political opponents. Also, there should be a mechanism where members of Pradeshiya Sabhas are allowed to participate in the decision making process both when it comes to the party and the government. Good information flows from the grassroot level to the top. Therefore an effective information flowing system should be in place” Mr Premadasa said.
He said the new alliance and the UNP should go forward with a new vision and with a new look. “We should accept that Sri Lanka is a Buddhist nation but should practice the preaching of Buddha which teaches that ‘may all beings be happy and well’.
Also, he said the party or the new alliance should not become the property of an individual but an asset to everyone who supports them.
Mr Premadasa then asked the local government members to raise their hands and endorse his leadership to a new alliance and a vast memory did so. “This is democracy as everyone expressed their views freely. We did not do any preplanning ourselves nor did anyone from Sirikotha ask these people to raise their hands or to hoot. However, I have had such experiences in the past” he said. (Yohan Perera)