United National Party (UNP) MP Palitha Thevarapperuma, who is alleged to have behaved aggressively under the influence of liquor at the UNP parliamentary group meeting by verbally abusing party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, rejected all allegations and said he was only acting for the good of the party.
Mr. Thevarapperuma said he did not lay even a finger on Mr. Wickremesinghe because he walked away when asked about the inclusion of two particular candidates in the Kalutara District list.
He said Mr. Wickremesinghe moved away and avoided answering his question at the meeting held on Wednesday at the parliamentary complex.
Mr. Thevarapperuma said the party had fielded an ex-employee of Foreign Employment Bureau who was charged with various frauds and another who was lending money to poor people at exorbitant interest rates.
“I was keen to tell Mr. Wickremesinghe that the party won’t succeed if it fielded candidates of such a calibre but he avoided me,” he said and added that the police officers in charge of the parliamentary complex would not have let him inside if he was under the influence of liquor.
“Why didn’t those who accuse me of being drunk fail to make a complaint against me to the Speaker?” Mr. Thevarapperuma asked.
When asked about speculation that he was going to crossover to the government or join the Democratic Party led by former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, he said this was a story spread by UNP members who wanted him to leave the party.
“I will not go behind any one and will continue to remain in the UNP until it takes office someday,” he added
Several party seniors charged that Mr. Thevarapperuma had confronted Mr. Wickremsinghe in an aggressive manner at the parliamentary group meeting on Wednesday. They also accused him of being drunk.
(Yohan Perera)
