We have enough members: Reformists

5 August 2011 07:53 am

The UNP reformists’ group expressed confidence today that they would be able to secure a sufficient number of votes in the party’s Working Committee to appoint a new leader through a secret ballot if the need arose.

Addressing a press conference, UNP reformists and southern provincial council member Maithri Gunaratne said that co-deputy leader Sajith Premadasa had proposed the name of deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya as the next leader of the party.

“Mr. Jayasuriya is a person acceptable to the members supporting both present leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Mr. Premadasa.  Also, Mr. Jayasuriya is a person who is capable of uniting the party now plagued with rifts,” Mr. Gunaratne said.

He noted that if Mr. Jayasuriya were appointed as the leader, the UNP would definitely win the election in the remaining 23 local bodies in October.

“We are very confident about that. We will win all the local bodies in such an eventuality. Therefore, we ask the present leadership to offer the post to Mr. Jayasuriya at least for three months to test the waters. (Kelum Bandara)