Safeguarding party unity is paramount need: Akila

UNP is prepared to make any decision with regard to the party on Thursday in order to safeguard its unity, Party General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said today.

Mr. Kariyawasam told a press conference that party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is also prepared to bow out of politics and hand over the UNP to a new leader as soon as unity is established.

“Most important factor is to preserve unity within the party. It was the disunity within the party which led to the defeat at the presidential elections. Also we would have fared better had the UNP was allowed to sign the agreement to establish a new alliance on August 5 last year as planned,” he Mr. Kariyawasam said.

Asked whether MP Patali Champika Ranawaka would be given a position in the party, the UNP General Secretary said several others in addition to Mr. Ranawaka could be appointed to positions if the working committee approves such a move.

At the same time he said, there is a demand especially from the Buddhist monks to appoint Speaker Karu Jayasuriya as the party leader. “Even some senior prelates who have spoken to me had requested that Mr. Jayasuriya be appointed as the leader,” Mr. Kariyawasam said.

“There are some others want Mr. Jayasuriya as the leader while there are a few others who want Sajith Premadasa as the party head. There are also people within the party who want both Mr. Jayasuriya and Premadasa to work with party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. A suitable strategy will be worked out when Parliamentary group meets on Thursday,” Mr. Kariyawasam said.(Yohan Perera)