Testing times for talking trio!

Saturday, 2 November 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Ranil-Karu-Sajith to have third round of talks on Monday to finalise proposals to be put to Working Committee
Monks’ proposals likely to be adopted: senior party sources

By Dharisha Bastians Talks on proposed reforms to the United National Party’s leadership structure progressed yesterday, with the key trio agreeing to meet again on

Monday (4) morning to finalise a set of proposals to be put before the Working Committee that will convene the same evening. UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe met with MPs Karu Jayasuriya and Sajith Premadasa at the Leader’s Jawatte offices last afternoon for crucial talks on the setting up of the Leadership Council to steer the party’s future course. The proposals put forward by monks of the United Bhikku Front, an organisation affiliated to the UNP, is very likely to be agreed upon, high-ranking party sources told the Daily FT. Yesterday’s meeting had focused again on the powers to be delegated to the new Council that were previously held by the Party Leader, the sources said. “There is optimism that consensus can be reached on the proposal put forward by the monks,” a senior party member said on grounds of anonymity. The proposal includes making provision for Wickremesinghe to take up the position of Senior Leader, while Jayasuriya will head the new Leadership Council. Both Premadasa and MP Ravi Karunanayake will be members of the Council in the event agreement is reached on Monday, the sources said. Other names drawn from the UNP’s Parliamentary group are also under discussion to assume seats on the nine-member Council. Once the trio of UNP leaders meets again on Monday, the proposals agreed to will have to be ratified by the Working Committee, sources said. Under the UNP Constitution, all power rests with the Working Committee that then devolves those powers to the Party Leader. Under the new system, the Working Committee will delegate most of the powers to the new Council, Party sources explained.