No need to change UNP leader – Vajira

Vajira Abeywardena

There was no need for any major changes to be made in the UNP, former MP Vajira Abeywardena yesterday said, addressing the media at Sirikotha.

Abeywardena said that what was needed now was to instill strict discipline in the party.

“The defeat is not a big deal for a political party. Failures are the pillars of success. The people in this instance have decided to vote for the SLPP en masse. It has more votes than those obtained by all other parties combined.”

The former MP said that the UNP had attempted to restructure the party and the culmination of that was the 2019 presidential election where they lost to incumbent Gotabaya Rajapaksa. “We still lost,” he said.

When questioned by journalists whether there was a need to replace Ranil Wickremesinghe as the leader of the party; Abeywardena said that he did not think so.

“We have won elections and lost elections under Wickremesinghe. I don’t think there is a need for a change at the helm. We should now impose stricter discipline and find our way back to winning ways,” he said.

(Source: The Island)