The main opposition UNP is in the process of devising a secret plan to ensure victory at the next presidential election, the party’s Elections Affairs Secretary Talatha Athukorala said today.

Ms. Athukorala came out with this statement in response to a question raised by journalists at a media briefing held at UNP headquarters Sirikotha on the two contrasting statements that have been made by Party General Secretary Tissa Attanayake and MP Ajith P Perera. Mr. Attanayake was reported saying recently that UNP national leader Ranil Wickremesinghe would be the candidate while Mr. Perera had been quoted as saying that party would field a common candidate. “We will devise a plan cautiously and reveal it to people at the right time. We will not reveal the name of our candidate right now,” she said.

Ms. Athukorala stressed that the Bribery Commission should play an active role at future elections by monitoring as to how much candidates spent on their election campaigns. She made this point alleging that one candidate of the recent Uva provincial council election had spent Rs 12,000 for each and every preferential vote he obtained. This sum she alleged had been released from the Treasury for this particular candidate.

Meanwhile, UNP MP Palitha Range Bandara alleged that five senior SPs including police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana were to be given promotions prior to the presidential election. He alleged that some of them would even be ruling party candidates at the next general election. (Yohan Perera and Chaturanga Pradeep)

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