Karu should inform UNP leader first: Jayalath

12 December 2011 02:00 pm

United National Party (UNP) Deputy Secretary Jayalath Jayewardene said today that the party’s Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya should at the next working committee meeting on Sunday, officially notify party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe of Mr. Jayasuriya’s intention to contest for the post of leader.

“The party leader has not been officially notified as yet. Whoever who wants to contest for the leadership should do so on December 18,” Dr. Jayewardene said.

He said it was only through media reports that Mr. Jayasuriya’s intention to contest has been revealed. The working committee has been summoned on December 18 to decide on the new office bearers for next year and the date for the next annual convention.

Meanwhile Dr. Jayewardene said the party had received feedback from a large number of people who had shown their interest in signing the public petition to free former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka.

He said the UNP hopes to collect more than one million signatures and the petition would be handed over to United Nations General Secretary Ban ki-Moon.

“We have received several calls from people asking where they could sign the petition. The feedback has been tremendous,” he said. The petition was opened to the public this afternoon at the Fort Railway station. (Olindhi Jayasundere)