Ranil returns cutting short UK visit

Amid the growing leadership crisis in the main opposition United National Party, its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided to return home early from his visit to the UK.

UNP parliamentarian John Amaratunga told media yesterday that Wickremesinghe had decided to return to the country a day earlier, on Wednesday, 3 August.

Wickremesinghe visited London to take part in the 57th session of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference which concluded last Thursday. During his visit Wickremesinghe met several British ministers and other government officials.

While the leader was in London, the co-deputy leader Sajith Premadasa had requested the acting leader Karu Jayasuriya to assume the leadership of the party and Jayasuriya had expressed his willingness to take over the leadership role. However, under the Party Constitution all leading officials are to be elected by members’ votes.

The reformists in the party blame the present leadership for the party's consecutive loss at every election held since 2001.

 - (Colombo Page)