{"id":130229,"date":"2014-09-13T00:50:21","date_gmt":"2014-09-12T19:20:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=130229"},"modified":"2014-09-13T00:50:21","modified_gmt":"2014-09-12T19:20:21","slug":"its-a-challenge-for-sajith-premadasa-to-prove-his-genuine-loyalty-mangala","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/its-a-challenge-for-sajith-premadasa-to-prove-his-genuine-loyalty-mangala\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s A Challenge For Sajith Premadasa To Prove His Genuine Loyalty: Mangala"},"content":{"rendered":"

“It is a challenge for Mr Sajith Premadasa<\/span><\/a>, to prove his genuine loyalty and sincere commitment to upholding party unity and discipline; \u00a0that is the expectation of every member of the United National Party.” says Mangala Samaraweera<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Mangala<\/a>Issuing a\u00a0<\/span>statement\u00a0today Samaraweera\u00a0<\/span>said\u00a0 “I do not wish to strengthen the enemy by commenting on the other irrelevant personal accusations he and other media institutions championing his cause are levelling against me especially at a time when an extremely decisive Provincial Election<\/span><\/a> has entered its final phase.”<\/span><\/p>\n

We publish below the statement in full;<\/p>\n

Responding to remarks I made at a news conference on Wednesday, Mr. Sajith Premadasa has issued as usual a vitriolic statement attacking me for ‘challenging’ him. This could not be further from the truth; I merely echoed the view of thousands of UNP activists when I said that his words of total support for our leader in the lead up to the next Presidential election should be matched by his deeds in the weeks ahead.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hence, it is by no means a challenge that emanates from me. It is a challenge for Mr Sajith Premadasa, to prove his genuine loyalty and sincere commitment to upholding party unity and discipline; \u00a0that is the expectation of every member of the United National Party.<\/p>\n

I do not wish to strengthen the enemy by commenting on the other irrelevant personal accusations he and other media institutions championing his cause are levelling against me especially at a time when an extremely decisive Provincial Election has entered its final phase. That Mr Premadasa has chosen to devote all his venom at me at a time when he should focus on the misdeeds of the UPFA government is indeed sad. We in the UNP are not at war with each other after all. Our battle should be, must be\u00a0 with the Government. Especially so at this moment, when a courageous young Parliamentarian has gone so far as to sacrifice his position to strengthen our party’s fortunes at the Uva elections setting a good example to those of us who are fighting for positions even at the cost of destabilising the party and propping up a corrupt regime.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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