Naming prime ministerial candidate not realistic; Ranil tells Harin
UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has told Opposition Leader of the Uva Provincial Council Harin Fernando that naming a prime ministerial candidate in the run-up to the forthcoming presidential election is not realistic as the party was campaigning for the abolition of the executive presidency.
Wickremesinghe has explained that the UNP needed to adopt a political strategy taking into consideration that the executive presidency will be abolished to pave the way for a government answerable to Parliament headed by a premier. Wickremesinghe was responding to Fernando’s plea to declare recently appointed UNP Deputy Leader and MP Sajith Premadasa as the UNP’s prime ministerial candidate in the run-up to the next presidential election.
Addressing a meeting of Kolonnawa bala mandalaya last Saturday, Fernando declared that the success of Wickremesinghe’s presidential election candidature would largely depend on Premadasa spearheading the campaign as the prospective prime minister.
Well informed sources told The Island that Wickremesinghe, who had held the premiership twice, briefly, had emphasized that Deputy Leader Premadasa could play a pivotal role in the campaign, along with other young UNP parliamentarians. Responding to a query, a party official said that former MP Fernando had pledged to throw his weight behind the project to do away with the executive presidency.
Wickremesinghe also reminded Fernando that the party was in the process of organizing a big protest in Colombo on October 24 to coincide with President Rajapaksa presenting budget 2015.
The UNP leadership has directed all electoral organisers to ensure maximum participation of supporters.
(Courtesy: The Island)
Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- GovPay to process payments for 30 more state institutions in Sri Lanka starting April February 15, 2025
- Defence Secretary opens 8th annual sessions of Sri Lanka College of Military Medicine February 15, 2025
- PHI arrested in Galewela for Rs. 200,000 bribe over hotel trade license February 15, 2025
- Bus overturns near Panadura flyover, four injured February 15, 2025
- AG files money laundering charges against Yoshitha, Grandmother February 14, 2025
This means still UNP not getting a chance.
the United national party will never win a general election so Mr.Ranil is right there is no need to name a prime ministerial candidate cos the UNP will allways be in the opposition until Mr.Ranil is leader coz supporters will never vote
He might renew his own previous record…..!