UNP MP Sajith Premadasa who is challenging UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe for the party leadership is refusing to meet this week to finalise details of the new leadership proposal, party sources told Colombo Telegraph.
Sajith Premadasa
The UNP working committee decreed after a marathon four hour meeting yesterday that Wickremesinghe, Premadasa and Karu Jayasuriya meet to work out details about how the proposed leadership council will function.
When Thursday was proposed for the crucial meeting at the party’s parliamentary group meeting today Premadasa said he was unavailable. He said he would not be able to meet with Wickremesinghe and Jayasuriya till next week UNP sources who were at the meeting said.
Until the three leaders meet the working committee cannot go forward the sources said.
Colombo Telegraph learns that Premadasa is being advised by his backers, specifically the Sirasa media network owner Kili Rajamahendran and businessman Tiran Alles to employ delaying tactics against the setting up of the council because once it is formed Karu Jayasuriya will assume prominence. The working committee has proposed Jayasuriya be appointed chairman of the leadership council.
The previous time about 10 days ago when a compromise was nearly reached premadasa’s backers insisted he openly demand the UNP leadership and presidential nomination. Premadasa’s handlers do not want a compromise reached in the UNP that would enable the party leader Wickremesinghe to remain in the position.
Premadasa has said he will be available to meet next week.
vx / October 8, 2013
Mulleriyawa is the best place for sajith.
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Ben Hurling / October 8, 2013
Politics = Poli + Tics = Many + Malicious Blood Suckers.
A translation from Greek.
Cheers!
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Don Stanley / October 9, 2013
After CT’s exposure of Sajith Premadasa’s lies about a Degree from LSE he MUST be sacked from the UNP. What a disgrace! The UNP is fast becoming a party of liars and crooks like the SLFP already is.
Of course, Sajith’s lies do not get Ranil Wickramasinghe the shameless UNP dictator off the hook!
Ranil MUST RESIGN and hand over to others in the party like Karu, Rosy Senanayake and Sujeeva Senansinghe.
Sajith is an UTTER DISGRACE (like Dr. Mervin Silva!) and is certainly NO FIT to lead the UNP party never mind become the President of Lanka.
This has to be the END OF Sajith Premadasa’s political career. Not only is he known for treasure hunting and stealing in hambantota he is also a LIAR and this certainly cannot be countananced.
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Yehiya / October 8, 2013
Ranil have to sack this man if he working with the MR.Karu have to handle fair game. If karu failed no more UNP.
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MNZ / October 9, 2013
There is no need to sack Sajith. He is on a self-destruct mode!
Sajith is actually the problem, and not the solution.
He is a man in indecent hurry with his faux degree from LSE, throwing money hither and thither at temples and other “worthy causes” only for the purpose of garnering cheap publicity and to create the myth that he is a ‘people’s man’ in the mould of MR.
Unfortunately, trying to compare Sajith’s PR skills with that of MR is akin to chalk and cheese!
Karu sadly burnt his boats when he started the rot by going over to MR with 16 other MPs. He only returned to the fold because he was licking his wounds after crossing swords with the MR siblings.
If Karu had been able to persuade Ranil to support the war effort his history could have been different.
Ravi, Mangala and Tissa are mere Ranil lackeys singing for their supper and do not deserve recognition at all. They are man-servants at best.
Ruwan, who is RW’s kinsman is cunningly biding his time, and like Sajith doing his own bit in the background to climb the hierarchical ladder by accelerated promotion.
Only a person with unquestionable integrity and potential would be able to resurrect the UNP which is now in intensive care.
In the circumstances one should perhaps think “outside the box” and seriously consider real professionals like Harsha and Eran to take on higher responsibilities with a view to resurrecting the party as soon as possible.
Perhaps therein lies the compromise and solution for the Grand Old Party.
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yusibrahi / October 8, 2013
Even at this late stage the UNP should expel Sagith.He has been the main source of distraction for several years with the so called “reformists” and funded by the incorporated “Maharaja”.This is the main reason for UNP’s decline and strengthening of the elected “Maharaja”.
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Citizen / October 9, 2013
Sajith Premadasa appears to be unreliable. There is suspicion whether he is bought over. UNP should kick out of the Party for being an opportunist.
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J.Muthu / October 9, 2013
I bet any one.. Sajith never ever going to be Srilankan President or any form higher office. He is fool just like any Sinhala Buddhist idiots, going around viharayas giving looted money( fathers ) to illiterate Sinhala people. He fooled Sinhala people regarding his education….he is not the only one…all Sinhala veerayas ruling moda land of srilanka…We tamils never allow these buggers rule us…
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Taraki / October 9, 2013
You are a racist, but what is worse is that you are an illiterate fool.
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J.Muthu / October 9, 2013
U Taraki fool using brilliant Tamil journalist name, you F*****G don’t use his name. Coward How can u say I am racist u mongrel. Do you fool believe Sinhala Buddhists allow us live in peace in our own home. Bugger u call me illiterate, u fool Sinhala Buddhist destroyed life so many Tamils lives. I am one of them, but We tamils never fall
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but rising every time we fall…
You Sinhala modayas believe Muthu is a low caste name and illiterate, hey Once again Muthu is a pearl. You damn cant value my wealth…and..???? Tell u fool again Tamils of Tamil ealam can live in peace in their own country…Never under Sinhala Buddhist barbarians rule…never, never and never again.
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vinil / October 9, 2013
u bloody coward u think fucking Tamils has a place in srilanka….u tamil idiots have to live as how we Sinhalese Buddhists command. have u forgotten u cowards lost the war …ur bloody leader died like a coward dog ha ha ha ha…. u tamils have no place in this world….India isn’t made for u cowards…neither srilanka…better runway to some country and work as toilet cleaners forever just to survive….
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J.Muthu / October 9, 2013
Dump we never ask any thing srilanka, only in our land occupied by u r modas. we will eject them with the help of IC….hooray…
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Backlash / October 9, 2013
Except for a small number of followers of his caste, Sajith P does not
have popular support in the UNP rank and file. After all, UNPers throughout the country are from the better part of Sinhala society, including the lower ranks. Privately they expect a much better parentage than what Sajith can claim for someone to be called their leader. Besides his questionable UK qualifications, the record of the family in stealing artefacts from both Temple Trees and the Presidential Palace work against him. As for the more educated and the learned in the UNP Sajith has not shown his leadership qualities by public impromptu speeches in person, on TV or the media.
Sajith like, Rukman S who came from a different background, will be forced to recede into the political history of the country. He might
better decide to live in luxury and comfort with the huge fortune made by his father during his time as PM and President. He might as well come to terms with the fact he is not made of Princely timber like Dudley, Anura B or Namal R.
Backlash
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Patriot / October 9, 2013
“Except for a small number of followers of his caste, Sajith P does not
have popular support in the UNP rank and file. After all, UNPers throughout the country are from the better part of Sinhala society, including the lower ranks”
It is quite sad to note that there are Sri Lankans like Backlash out there who still can not stop talking about cast, race etc. Pathetic!
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Prasanna / October 9, 2013
Srilankans can easily be betrayed by so-called actors. Eg: Rajapaksha, dayasiri, sajith etc… They fail to realise that these morons ruin the country of its wealth from the other hand. I recently came across a saying in ramayana. Sita cursed the land of Ravana that the people of your country will suffer. This is what exactly is happening. Relating this to the modern day , people are not ready to vote for a gentleman like Ranil. If the curse if true, Ranil will never get the top office. Pls i appeal to all the people its time to show responsibility. Enough of nepotism, lets bring a leader who is not corrupt and who can show the world that Srilanka is prospering. The only person who fits this bill is Ranil.
My message to Alles,Kili and Sajith – Stop pretending men. Alles was the one who struck a deal with the LTTE. He is the best friend of sajith the moron pighead donkey. I wished in the year 2011 sajith joined the MR bandwagon. UNP doesnt need a another premadasa. The country enjoyed only on two occassions. One the death of prabhakaran, the other the death of premadasa. This speaks volumes.
Love my motherland Srilanka…
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Nelum Wickremasinghe / October 9, 2013
We don’t need another ‘Premadasa Yugaya’ & sajith does not have any leadership qualities.The leadership should not be given to him at all.If he’s given the leadership ,UNP is going to lose all the hardcore votes from the loyal supporters.
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patriot / October 9, 2013
Sajith’s delaying tactics or whatever is not the main problem. What Ranil is trying to do is to appoint this so called leadership council and put the blame on the council members for the failure of UNP winning the future provincial council elections and thereby holding on to the leadership of the failed party till some miracle happens for him to leave the leadership. If Karu has the brains he should not get involved in this useless leadership council because it is a trap masterminded by Ranil and the gang. Let the UNP loose the future elections including the presidential in April next year and hope that Ranil will leave at that point.
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saganana / October 9, 2013
Spot on patriot! Leader is there to guide the party to victory. If the “leader” is incompetent, he should go. It is simple as that. This council would be another Kolam Maduva. It is a delaying tactic or a jilmart to stay in the leadership irrespective of obvious failures in the past.
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shankar / October 11, 2013
“What Ranil is trying to do is to appoint this so called leadership council and put the blame on the council members for the failure of UNP winning the future provincial council elections “
patriot,what you have failed to realise is that the leadership council was not ranil’s idea,but the one he was forced to accept due to senior UNP bhuddhist monks asking him to do it.They did not say that he could continue to be the opposition leader,but wanted the council to become the leadershp team in lieu of the opposition leader position hich could be then scrapped.I thought this was a good idea because 3-5 heads are better than one and the Rajapakshe’s are a leadership team of 4 brothers who work unitedly and don’t damage each other though they might have policy differences.The UNP should take a cue from them if they want to beat them.
Sajiv instead of talking with killi mahendran,should instead talk with the bhuddhist monks ho mooted out this idea and express his concerns if any and they can then talk to ranil and try to sort it out.
If the leadership council is finally thrown out due to intransigence of the key players to come to some sort of agreement,then it would be like the baby being thrown out with the bathwater.Let us face it,even if sajit is made the leader there could be only a improvement but not the defeat of the rajapakshe brothers team by any single individual.
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Thamara / October 9, 2013
Now it’s high time to sack Sajith from the UNP. Doit today, before next week.
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Ronny / October 9, 2013
If you compare Mervyn Silva’s qualifications and that of Sajith Premadasa’s, Mervyn Silva is more qualified than Sajith Premadasa!
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Scoorias / October 9, 2013
Your deadline has to be amended.
It should read as “Sajith delays
to come.” That will explain all.
The glorious idiot is clueless
and has become a tool in the
hands of a few politically blind
kingmakers.
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sham / October 9, 2013
Ranil is not right but, Sajith becomes a laughing stock. I was thinking he could be the man to lead but the way he goes… no chance…
He is power hungry and do want to see something different.
Sajith.. sorry u made me sick
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sham / October 9, 2013
Ranil is not right, but Sajith becomes a laughing stock. I was thinking he could be the man to lead but the way he goes… no chance…
He is power hungry and do not want to see something different.
Sajith.. sorry u made me sick
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gamini / October 9, 2013
At the time of Independence It was the UNP as a Political Party that held away against an Opposition of the early Left and the Federal Tamil Party. The UNP consisted of the cream of society then, that included even SWRD Bandatanayake, until he broke away from the UNP and formed the SLFP to contest the ’52 General Election and lost badly to the UNP led by Dudley Senanayake, after the tragic death of DS with the mantle of Leadership of the UNP being passed on to Dudley. Thereafter Banda went around the Country looking for Candidates to contest under the SLFP ticket but failed to attract the Decent Educated Eminent but instead opened the door to Parliament at the ’56 General Election for Postal Peons, Bus Stand Kavi Kola Sellers, Kasippu Mudalalis so on and so forth. The UNP after ’56 found difficult to retain the cream of Society and was forced to accommodate Premadasa type to match the Riff Raff from the other Parties, as Politics became very violent thereafter. Really speaking Politics was made violent deliberately in order to keep off the Decent Educated in society from coming forward to contest at Elections, by the Hoi Polli from all Political Parties who had entered the fray and the common cry was Anti-Rich, Anti-Elite, Anti-West, Anti-Western Educated. This is how the non pods in society became Sombodies in society and have become filthy rich Politicians and Businessmen of today boasting of Educational Qualifications bought over the counter. O Trmpora! O Mores!
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Srinath Rajapakse / October 9, 2013
Agree wholeheartedly. Its time the UNP kicked out the riff raff & appointed educated professionals to the party. Premadasa Snr started the rot with thuggery, gross mismanagement & rampant corruption, & MR continues in a much bigger scale. The Bandaranayakas thought SL was their legacy, just like the Ghandis & the Bhutos. SWRD was a selfish hypocrite who played to the gallery & is responsible for the tamil problem which escalated to a civil war; Mrs. B, an uneducated housewife who was brought in by the SLFP hierarchy as a puppet to capitalize on the sympathy vote & took the country backwards during her period in power, & as for Chandrika, she is just another opportunist, who did the least to the country, despite the hype(apparently a graduate of Sorbonne just like Sajith?), feathered her own nest while at it & still trying to join the gravy train, instead of enjoying her retirement with her ill gotten wealth in the posh West End of London.
I think Ranil is misunderstood but with a good team behind him, is the only salvation for SL at present.
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crazyoldmansl / October 9, 2013
This man is behaving just like the government. Maybe he should not be in the opposition.
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Blessing / October 9, 2013
When a party loses election, it’s leader must take responsibility. It is not one or two times to forget and forgive. Even after 27 successive defeats, Ranil still wants to hold on to the leadership. Is it not shameful. I bet under Ranil’s leadership UNP will never win.
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gamini / October 9, 2013
The next Presidential Election will be held under International Observance as happened in the North where MR’s dirty tricks could not be put in to practice. Then we can see this Ranil looser triumphing over MR and what these critics have to say.
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shankar / October 11, 2013
Gamini,i hope ranil or sajit will not contest the next presidential election because they will lose.The only person ho can beat MR and hom he is afraid of to have a fair fight is Fonseka,and this time in a free and fair election he should be given another chance.The reason he is the best candidate is he is the only one who can compete with gota and mahinda on the war victory issue and legitimately say that he contributed the most.
People will still vote with gratitude for the war victory.
Ranil is tainted by the ceasefire agreement of 2002 where he allowed the LTTE to run riot with massive violations including killing intelligence operatives in colombo.
Though sinhalese have short memories as Prabhaharan pointed out when election campaigns occur they are constantly bombarded by speakers and media with all the dirty linen of candidates both true and false and result in a decision made by some voters.
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