Senior UNPers backing Sajith say they support abolition of Executive Presidency but not in haste

• Three UNP Ministers say Party has always stood for abolishing presidency and they too support position
• Say there is no reason to rush it through on eve of election
• Hint UNP leader was behind move

Three senior UNP members who opposed Thursday’s hurried moves to abolish the executive presidency sought to set the record straight yesterday, saying they were for ridding the country of the all-powerful executive president and opposed only to the indecent hurry with which attempts were made to push it through.

Ministers Thalatha Atukorale, Ranjith Madduma Bandara and Ravindra Samaraweera told reporters that the UNP has always stood for abolishing the executive presidency, which they also support. “We had four and a half years to do it but proposing to abolish it just before an election shows fear to face an election,” Madduma Bandara said.

At the press conference which was held at the official residence of Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera in Colombo, Athukorale said the majority of UNP lawmakers as well as all the constituent parties in the UNF strongly backed Sajith Premadasa‘s candidacy for the presidency.

Atukorale also hinted that it was someone from their side who requested an emergency Cabinet meeting to discuss the 20th Amendment to the Constitution and it was not President Maithripala Sirisena’s idea.

“We asked the President who wanted this done. He said somebody requested him to take it up with the Cabinet. It’s clear who made the request but we will not take this issue further as we want our Party to be united,” she said.