Two UNP frontliners ask for change in leadership

By Kelum Bandara

The UNP Working Committee said yesterday it had appointed a committee comprising party seniors to look into the demands of some MPs who are said to be revolting against the party leadership.

The committee comprises parliamentarians John Amaratunga, Joseph Michael Perera, Gamini Jayawickrama Perera and Amara Piyasili Ratnayake.

UNP front-liners Lakshman Seneviratne and Johnston Fernando criticized the party hierarchy at the Working Committee meeting yesterday and said the party had suffered a series of election defeats under the present leadership.

They said the party had failed to win the support of a majority of Buddhist monks and Sinhala Buddhist voters at previous elections, and therefore the present leadership should make certain sacrifices if the UNP was to move forward.

Mr. Fernando even suggested that Chairman Rukman Senanayake be appointed UNP leader and was critical of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe whom according to Mr. Fernando had not played a proactive role at the Eastern Provincial Council election.

However, party senior Renuka Herath said the UNP should mend its fences and resolve its problems especially at a time when a crucial election had been declared. She said the party had to campaign without getting embroiled in internal disharmony.

Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said he had worked according to the decisions taken by the party Working Committee and the Political Affairs Committee, and he had never deviated from those decisions.

Mr. Wickremesinghe said people expect the UNP to play a greater role on their behalf at this critical juncture, and the party should not breach this trust at any cost.

Most of the party seniors spoke in support of the leader, and one electoral organizer even alleged that the internal crisis brewing in the party was a conspiracy hatched by the 18 members who switched allegiance.

The electoral organizer said these members wanted a change of the leadership so that they can appoint someone who would dancing to their tune, and the party should not fall into this trap.