UNP WC agrees to contest General Election under Elephant symbol

• UNP Leader tells late night press briefing Elephant symbol cannot be given for use by other alliances
• Insists majority in WC wants to contest under Elephant symbol
• Move opposed by Sajith faction

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe said last night that the Working Committee of the Party has decided to contest the upcoming General Election under the Elephant symbol.

Wickremesinghe told reporters last night that the majority in WC agreed to this decision.

UNP sources said that there was opposition to this from MPs Sajith Premadasa, Ranjith Madduma Bandara and several others but the majority in the WC had agreed to contest under the Elephant symbol.

“There is no room in the UNP Constitution to change its symbol or give it to another Party. If this is to be done the Party Constitution has to be amended,” Wickremesinghe said.

He said the attempts by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya or United National Power (UNP) headed by Sajith Premadasa was yet to reach a consensus on a symbol as talks to contest under the Swan symbol had not materialised.

“The Constitution of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya has to be approved by the Election Commission but this has not happened,” Wickremesinghe said.

The UNP leader also said that nomination list of the election will have to be cleared by the UNP WC even if they decide to contest under an alliance as the UNP is the biggest party in such an alliance.