Ranil retains UNP leadership
Sajith agrees to be deputy leader of party
The months long tussle in the UNP for leadership ended yesterday with Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe retaining his position as the party leader, and Mr. Sajith Premadasa, who aspired to be the leader, finally agreeing to be deputy leader. Mr. Premadasa will also act as the deputy to the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.
The party will amend its constitution to create two posts of deputy leader to be filled by Mr. Premadasa and Mr. Karu Jayasuriya. The UNP Working Committee (WC) met for three days consecutively to resolve the problem.
Daily Mirror learns that the party would decide on the powers to be vested in Mr. Premadasa as deputy leader.
According to the UNP constitution, party’s five office bearers, including its leader should be appointed through a secret ballot unless there is consensus among the members. Mr. Premadasa had vowed on several occasions to contest for the leadership along with Mr. Wickremesinghe.
At yesterday’s WC meeting, Mr. Wickremesinghe announced his candidacy for the leadership, and it was seconded by MP D.M. Swaminathan. At this point, Moneragala district MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara proposed the name of Mr. Premadasa for the candidacy, but no one seconded it. Eventually, Mr. Premadasa rose on his feet, and said that he was prepared to accept the deputy leadership as proposed by some party seniors the previous day.
The WC approved the creation of a second deputy leader’s post to be offered to Mr. Premadasa. Party sources said that the affairs of the party’s youth wing, women’s wing and some grassroots level organizations would be placed under the purview of Mr. Premadasa.
After the meeting, Mr. Bandara told Daily Mirror that Mr. Premadasa in fact wanted to take the leadership of an undivided party, and therefore the outcome of the meeting was satisfactory. “Mr. Premadasa did not want to create rifts in the party and take the leadership,” he said.
Courtesy: Daily Mirror
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Premadasa has chickened out despite his bravado in his own backyard. He will never defeat RW to be leader, as he does not have the right credentials. Let us not forget he is nidan hora. If he becomes leader there will be even worse corruption. In any case, UNP has lost all its credibility among the vast majority of people which was evidenced in the recently concluded local government elections when the UPFA won by a 5/6 majority, which was unprecedented.
The UNP is lost cause. There’s nothing much they can do to rise from the hole they have dug themselves in.
The UPFA retained siginificant majority in the recently concluded elections. However, why should anyone vote for the UNP? The areas that elect UNP representatives will fall behing in every element of society including development, jobs, schools, railways etc. The areas that elect UP reps will be saddled with that burden until there is a change of Government.
With the influence of elected political representatives required in every social activity, why be saddled with a powerless opposition political rep? Ministers’ and MP’s endorsements are required for any transaction with Govt agencies and some powerful private enterprises. Job applications have to be endorsed; land transfer has to be endorsed; business permits applications have to be endorsed; the list is endless and soon, people will need an MP’s letter to buy a loaf of bread or a kilo of kurakkan!
So, why elect a UNP MP and be deprived of everything for a long, long time?
Julian’s correct.
I was recently forced to bribe a security guard to use the public toilet in an international conference hall.
Soon, maybe an MP’s letter will be required to use the public toilet!!
We can tell MR party only Srilanka No one coming again.Because all like to MR
JS has exagerated the corruption and bureaucracy, which is not as bad as in India.
However, when UNP was in power the bureaucracy and corruption was particularly rife. But Hon President MR is cracking down on such misdemeanour heavily. Bureaucracy and corruption stunts development. Hence MR is waging war against against this twin evils which our people unfortunately has copied from India. Hon President is also cracking down on other abuses such as misuse of VIP priviledges, speeding down our narrow roads by VIPs with their escorts of security vehicles endangering lives of ordinary citizens. He has promised stern action against such VIPs such as loss of priviledges and even the ministry. MR cannot put the house in order single handedly. Other senior ministers should set the example and join hands with MR to crack down hard on abuse of power.