Karu agrees to be the leader - Sajith

28 July 2011 09:48 am

By Yohan Perera

The UNP reformists had invited UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya to takeover UNP leadership and he had agreed, UNP MP Sajith Premadasa said today.

UNP Co-Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa who heads the reformist group within the party told a news conference that they have decided to back Mr. Jayasuriya whom they had identified as a member that does not belong to any faction to bring the internal conflicts to a halt.

However no time frame was given as to when Mr. Jayasuriya would take over the leadership.

Responding to a question raised by the journalists whether Mr. Jayasuriya would be the next presidential candidate, he said question on a candidature does not arise at this moment. “We are not interested in candidatures and positions within the party now,” he said.

He made same remarks with regard to the future of party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Mr. Premadasa said majority of UNP MPs including the parry seniors are backing this move. He said UNP Kurunegala District MP Dayasiri Jayasekara had also agreed to this move. Mr. Jayasekera who backed Mr. Premadasa earlier was keeping away from the reformists. Mr. Jayasekera also confirmed that he had patched up with Mr. Premadasa at a one to one meeting.

The UNP Co-Deputy leader said his party had failed to perform its duties as the main opposition. This he said is the main reason the party failed at the recent local government election. The result of this election is a perfect testimony of the UNP’s present position,” he said.

He said time had come for the party to put and end to its persisting crisis. “Time had come for us to decide whether we are going to allow the party to fade off or we rebuild it into a vibrant one,” he added. (Daily MIrror online)