UNP gears up for polls with shifts and newcomers

28 June 2015 03:50 pm

The United National Party (UNP) has appointed its leadership council Chairman Karu Jayasuriya, who will be in charge of the party’s campaign for the general election this year, party sources said today.

Mr. Jayasuriya when contacted by the Daily Mirror said he was asked to play a major role in the campaign for the forthcoming election. Therefore he said that he will not contest the election this year but would probably enter Parliament through the national list

Meanwhile, several members who were included in the national list in the 2010 general election will contest from district lists. These include Joseph Michael Perera from the Gampaha District, Eran Wickramaratne and Dr. Harsha de Silva from the Colombo District and R. Yogarajan from the Nuwara Eliya District.

Also the party had decided to shift some of the candidates who contested from one particular district last year to another in this year’s election. One of those major shifts is Ranjan Ramanayake who confirmed that he will contest from the Gampaha District where contested the 2010 general election from the same District as well.

The newcomers, Upul Santha Sannagala who will contest from the Colombo District while former Police spokesman Preshantha Jayakodi is expected to contest from the Gampaha District.

In another development, Uva Province Chief Minister Harin Fernando had confirmed that will contest from the Badulla District. (Yohan Perera)