• Says UNP decision illegal as majority of Working Committee with SJB
• SJB threatens legal action against suspensions, promises support to members 
• Insists RW was party to WC decision for Premadasa to be SJB leader

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) yesterday rejected the decision by the United National Party (UNP) Working Committee to suspend its members, calling the decision and the meeting illegal, and plan to stage a No-Confidence Motion against UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The SJB plans to take legal action against the decisions taken by the UNP Working Committee once the suspended members receive written notification, SJB member and Attorney Ajith P. Perera told the Daily FT. A No-Confidence Motion against the UNP leader is also being discussed, Perera added.   

“We heard that a small group met at the UNP headquarters and convened a Working Committee meeting. However, a majority of the Working Committee are with the SJB. Out of the 66 members of the UNP Working Committee, a majority of 37 met at the SJB head office today,” SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara told reporters.

“We discussed about this decision; a small group cannot suspend our party membership; the decision is illegal,” Bandara charged pointing out that SJB was founded on a directive of the Working Committee. 

“We have a public statement issued by UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam stating that the Working Committee has issued a directive for Sajith Premadasa to be appointed the leader of the SJB, for him to be the Prime Ministerial candidate and for me to be appointed as the General Secretary of the SJB,” Bandara stated. He also said that they have an official letter written by UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to the same effect. 

“Therefore, the legitimacy is with us, with the SJB, the Working Committee took a decision that they would face the elections as a coalition. Now they have said that they will face the election under the Elephant symbol which is in violation of the Working Committee decision taken before. We are planning to take legal action against these illegitimate decisions,” Bandara stated.  

Speaking at the press conference, former UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella and Perera both stressed that they will not let UNP provincial councillors who aligned with the SJB be intimidated by a few in the party. “We will help them and we have a legal team comprising of five President’s Counsels to help defend them if the need arises,” Perera stressed.

Longstanding UNP senior member Lakshman Kiriella reiterated that UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was present and party to all Working Committee decision on the creation of the SJB, appointment of Sajith Premadasa and Ranjith Madduma Bandara as the General Secretary, and that Premadasa was to be the Prime Ministerial candidate. 

“Therefore, legally speaking, no one there can threaten the SJB,” he charged. He reassured any SJB member that if they have to face any consequence based on the UNP’s decision taken yesterday, the SJB will stand by them with legal assistance. 

“After the elections, we will rally all UNP supporters and plan to work with our ‘Maha-Gedara’ but today we will follow the SJB’s mandate,” Kiriella added. 

UNP gets tough on SJB