UNP says no final decision on next presidential candidate

Wednesday, 18 January 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The United National Party (UNP) has not reached a final decision on the party’s presidential candidate for the 2020 election, saying it is too early.

Addressing media in Sirikotha, UNP MP NalinBandara said the decision regarding the presidential candidate must be taken after the proposed Constitutional amendment.

“The Government still has to run an amendment in the Constitution and it has to decide whether the executive presidency should be abolished or not. Until then, the UNP does not have any intention to declare a presidential candidate for the next election in 2020,” he said.

Bandara also said that the UNP will take a decision about the next candidate after constitution making tasks are concluded.

“We took the best decision in selecting President Maithripala Sirisena as our common candidate in the few weeks before the 2015 election and this time also we will follow the same method,” he said.

Ridiculing the Joint Opposition for fielding its own candidate, Bandara said that the Joint Opposition’s entire target was useless.

“The Joint Opposition does not have a mandate to win an election and we should just disregard what they had said about the next presidential candidate,” he stated.

Commenting on the Constitution, Bandara said that it is time to amend the Constitution as it is outdated. He said the UNP will maintain the same stance on the matter.