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In the latest twist to the United National Party (UNP) leadership dilemma, General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam yesterday said he has offered to step down from his post, to preserve party unity and pave the way for UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa to find common ground.
Kariyawasam had made the offer to Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, after the SJB led by Sajith Premadasa requested that the post be given to an individual they are agreeable with. Former MPs Lakshman Kiriella, Mangala Samaraweera, and Kabir Hashim are the frontrunner candidates to fill the post if made vacant by Kariyawasam, a senior UNP source told the Daily FT.
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| Akila Viraj Kariyawasam |
“I have informed the party that I am willing to step down from the post of General Secretary of the UNP if it helps to keep party unity,” Kariyawasam told the Daily FT, pointing out that although the offer was made, no decision on the matter was reached yet. He would not comment on a likely successor.
“The SJB constitution is that of a party, according to its clause on membership, those who contest under the SJB will have to relinquish membership of the UNP, as the SJB constitution does not allow for its members to contest while holding membership of any other party,” the source explained, pointing out that concerns regarding the SJB constitution have become a stumbling block for negotiating a compromise between the UNP and SJB.
However, a former UNP MP aligned with the SJB disputed the claim, pointing out that as a party the SJB can inform the Election Commissioner of changes to its Constitution at any time.
The UNP held a Working Committee meeting last evening, where Sajith Premadasa and many who support him were absent. The Working Committee also approved the formation of a nomination board consisting of Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sajith Premadasa, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Ravi Karunanayake, Kabir Hashim, and Ranjith Madduma Bandara. Wickremesinghe and Premadasa are expected to lead the nominations board together.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, former Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said that the UNP was seeking to enter into MoUs with some of the stakeholders of the SJB. “We hope to resolve our differences and move forward united, we want to go for elections under one symbol and as one group, if we get it right, the Government will not only be prevented from getting a 2/3rd majority, we can defeat them,” he said. Dr. Senaratne told reporters both factions had approached former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya regarding taking over the post of UNP leader. “We also spoke to our leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, and he agreed to it. Jayasuriya may be appointed as compromise party leader, but may have to act in consultation with him,” Senarathna stated, explaining that some of the powers vested in Wickremesinghe as leader of the party can only be transferred by a party convention. “All other powers granted by the Working Committee can be given to Karu Jayasuriya,” he added.
