The power struggle inside the United National Party continues over who should lead its future course as moves are being orchestrated by some members to stop Ranil Wickremesinghe from running again as the party’s leader.
Meanwhile, some members from the UNP-led coalition, the United National Front, including MP Patali Champika Ranawaka said they will form a ‘leadership council’ to achieve victory in the forthcoming General Election.
Senior UNP members have pointed out to its central working committee that the UNP cannot surmount a challenge at any future election with Wickremesinghe running as leader.
Former UNP Kurunegala District MP Ashok Abeysinghe said the idea of facing an election with a leadership council is good, but incumbent leader Wickremesinghe should not be the one to call the shots in any future elections unless they want to concede defeat.
“The forthcoming election is crucial to us. The people in our electorates, our party activists in Kurunegala and other parts of the country have clearly told us that they cannot support the UNP and will not support the UNP, unless Wickremesinghe steps down as UNP leader and give that position to Sajith Premadasa,” Abeysinghe said.
“We have about 100 UNF members, of them 90 have communicated that the party cannot move forward with incumbent leader Wickremesinghe, who has led UNP for over 25 years, who must relinquish his leadership and pave the way for Sajith Premadasa to lead the party,” he said. Asked whether there are other candidates in the UNP who can surmount an election challenge, Abeysinghe said, “not as good as Sajith, because he is the one with proper answers for an election race.”
“He reflects unmatched potential.The party should not be naive again to under-represent Sajith Premadasa,” he added, “It is best to forward Sajith Premadasa to win future elections for the party than facing defeat under the incumbent leader.”