UNP to emerge as a powerful force in the months to come

UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara, Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene and others at the press conference in Kandy. Pic by Pradeep Pathirana 

• Ranil Wickremesinghe will be sworn in as the UNP National List MP at an appropriate time

By Yohan Perera, J.A.L .Jayasinghe and Shane Seneviratne  

Many who had pledged their support to Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) earlier will rejoin UNP within six months followed by the members of local bodies who have already begun to come back to the fold, party seniors said yesterday.   

UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene and General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara told a press conference in Kandy that 13 members of local bodies who switched allegiance to the SJB earlier had already returned and more such members from Galle District would follow suit shortly.   
“See what will happen in six months’ time since many will return to the fold. The UNP begins to emerge as a powerful force in the months to come,” Mr. Range Bandara said.   

Asked about prominent members of UNP who had distanced themselves from the party including National Organiser Navin Dissanayake, Ravi Karunanayake and Arjuna Ranatunga, Mr Wijewardene said the party leadership would begin discussions with them. “These members have informed that they will hand over a set of proposals to the party leadership. We are confident that they will remain with us,” Mr. Wijewardene said.   
It was reiterated that leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will be sworn in as the UNP National List MP at an appropriate time.   

Both Mr. Wijewardene and Range Bandara met the party activists in Kandy yesterday and announced that they will meet the activists in Hambantota next week.   

 Pic by Pradeep Pathirana