The United National Party has gathered at its headquarters in Pitakotte for a crucial Working Committee meeting that may see sweeping reform proposals adopted for the creation of a leadership council that will steer the party’s future course.
Ranil
Following a meeting between UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and MPs Karu Jayasuriya and Sajith Premadasa this morning, the Working Committee convened at 4 p.m. to give life to proposals agreed upon by the trio.
The meeting is currently underway at Sirikotha even as thundershowers rain down on Colombo.
Under the proposals, also mooted by Buddhist monks affiliated to the UNP, the Leadership Council will be chaired by Karu Jayasuriya, senior party man and former Deputy Leader of the UNP. The Council will comprise 9 members.
Colombo Telegraph reliably learns that Premadasa may not agree to be a member of the new Council. Following a meeting between Premadasa, Jayasuriya and members of the United Bhikku Front in Kurunegala yesterday, the monks put forward three more reform proposals. Premadasa told Wickremesinghe at today’s meeting in the morning that unless the Leader agrees to adopt all 11 proposals now presented by the monks, it would be better for the present status quo to remain.
The all or nothing attitude adopted by Premadasa, party sources said, was indicative of the fact that the young MP would prefer to let Wickremesinghe remain leader if all of his demands were not met.
Premadasa attended the meeting with the priests in Kurunegala yesterday with expelled UNPers Maithri Guneratne and Shiral Lakthilake in tow.
Wickremesinghe is expected to agree to take up the position of Senior Leader as suggested by the monks. He will make a special statement to the Working Committee today, UNP sources said.
Fathima Fukushima / November 4, 2013
Oh God!
Even the UNP is now gone to bikkhus (monks) aka saffron terror.
What hope SL has. Wahabism is the only solution.
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Dodo / November 4, 2013
Ranil Wickramasinghe by his Dictatorship in the party has enabled the Saffron terrorists to take over the UNP – in order to dislodge him for Sajith to reign.
What a circus! Ranil Wickramasinghe has also collaborated with Rajapassa to enable the celebration of British Colonialism and Racism -the CHOGM Commonwealth show in two weeks that also celebrate that SRI LANKA HAS ARRIVED – as a MILITARY DICTATORDHIP ON THE WORLD STAGE!
Lanka was one of the last unbroken democracies in South Asia now become a Military Dictatorship with the support of Britian which is one of the biggest sellers of arms in the world and uses the CHOGM cicus to maket guns and peddle British Empire nostalgia to third world dictators! Its Circuses all the way!
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Namal Perera / November 4, 2013
A Joker destroying the Country and the evil twin supporting as Leader of Opposition. Even if he is forced to quit, the ruling Joker will do everything possible to retain him.
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Still Waiting. / November 4, 2013
This must be the millionth meeting…
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Maithree / November 4, 2013
The best joker and the cancer to UNP is Sajith. High time to get rid off this cancer and appoint Karu as the leader, or else appoint Ruwan as the leader. Whoever comes not possible to raise the party. Best solution for all the UNPers to get aligned to SF, and let UNP to scrap as the party is now too stale and too old.
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Namal Perera / November 4, 2013
Ruwan would be the ideal candidate. Only disadvantage is his connection to Ranil. If Ruwan is elected he should distant himself from the bad habits of Ranil, specially people skills and be a democratic Leader.
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Liberal One / November 4, 2013
Ruwan looks like a decent fellow but he is not familiar to rural UNP voters. If the Tiger scumbags didn’t kill Gamini and Athulathmudali we would have had an able UNP. Isn’t it such an irony that the price had to be paid to the tigers by a SLFP goverment and a UNP government became soft on tigers after all the favors tigers did to SLFP by killing almost all leadership of UNP?
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Max Silva / November 4, 2013
What historic event?It will be history as usual.Karu to replace Ranil as leader?What nonsense is this? Last time out Ranil topped the Colombo list with some 270,000 odd votes.Karu just managed to obtain 50000 odd votes coming third.Humiliation being Karu loosing out to Paba.A better idea will be for Paba to be appointed as the new UNP leader.
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Max Silva / November 5, 2013
As i told you yesterday this is no historic event.The even has been chucked in to the political dustbin.As usual it is HISTORY!
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Thushara Jayarathna / November 4, 2013
Sack sajith ASAP!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suBCGK3Hxj8&feature=youtu.be
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Liberal One / November 4, 2013
Looks like Sajith has some brain after all. This leadership council plus a senior leader will make more problems. You need a single responsible entity to guide the party. Now who will be responsible for the next imminent election defeat? anti-ranil factions will point the finger at ranil and pro-ranil few will point all their fingers at all anti-ranil factions.
Better to keep the structure of the party intact for a future able leader to take the party forward.
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Lapatiya / November 4, 2013
I think Sajith’s Leadership struggle will be dragging on and on until the term of (N)Mal Baby’s Grand son is over.
If the UNP leadership wanted to take the party to the winning path he should sack that Kehelwatte Abiththaya along with others who are under the payroll of Maha Raja without any doubt or fear.
All these are manipulations of Saddarmadveepa Chakrawarthi and his siblings.
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Lanka / November 5, 2013
Can you imagine Sajith to become the leader of the UNP? During his late father’s time party was split now he is going to destroy the party fully.
He should understand there are lot (Voters)who may not support him.
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Sunila mendis / November 5, 2013
The Govt’s manipulative hands are Sajith and the Bikku front. They work for the Maharajah MR. This is why they do not allow the UNP to reorganise. Please enlighten the people about Sajith ‘s underhand dealings to keep the UNP grounded.
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Banda / November 5, 2013
Praise the Lord and condemn the Buddhist monks,
The God is sure to bless
The UNP supporters like you,
All the way to hell or heaven,
And that’s the way forward,
For the UNP,
For years to come.
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harry hatton / November 5, 2013
How absurd for Ranil to appoint Mangala Samaraweera to a committee to revive the UNP ! This is a man who did so much of false propaganda against the UNP. He is a man who became very rich doing politics. Last month he was arrested by the Police for a violent attack on a peaceful procession. Is Ranil mad ?
How can Ruwan Wijewardene, only an immature beneficiary of his birth, and Ranil’s close relative qualify to guide the UNP now at its lowest level ? Doesn’t this prove that all the allegations of family politics hurled against the Rajapakse’s by Ranil’s UNP is just hot air? Ranil is not only mad but a hypocrite.
How can some old political failures who were in its high committees when the UNP was descending to its lowest now have the answer to raise it again ? Almost every name in this new committee are part of the problem. Not only are they mad and hypocritical but also have an incurable conceit. Such is the make-up of failures ! This is like asking Lalith Kotalawala to lead the Ceylino again. Will the stake holders accept such an appointment ? Similarly can these chaps whose ideas and actions have led the UNP to its present state gain the confidence of the people for the UNP again ? Let us watch another 10 elections for the answer !
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Haniff Mohamed / November 7, 2013
What is going do with leadership council? Ranil going to fool whom ? who appoint these members of the leadership council? everyone want a change in leader.
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