Some UNP MPs under pressure to back Sajith

A few MPs have complained to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that they were under pressure from some ministers to place their signatures on a petition seeking presidential candidacy of the party to Minister and UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa, sources close to the Prime Minister said yesterday.

They said these MPs had complained to the Prime Minister when he was in the Maldives on an official visit.

In trying to prevail upon these MPs, these ministers had said that Mr. Premadasa would become the President, and then, he would automatically be the leader of the UNP.

They had threatened to deny the nomination to these MPs in the event of Mr. Premadasa becoming the party leader.