UNP rift deepens,rebels seek change

By Kelum Bandara

A rift within the UNP continued to deepen yesterday with a group of UNP MPs demanding ‘drastic changes’ to the party constitution ensuring more powers for National Organizer S.B. Dissanayake, Party Chairman Rukman Senanayake and MP Sajith Premadasa.

The rebel MPs Dr. Jayalath Jayawardane, Johnston Fernando, Lakshman Senveratne and Ravindra Samaraweera were involved in talks yesterday with the committee appointed by the Working Committee of the party to look into the political crisis brewing within it.

The Committee comprising UNP seniors including John Amaratunga, Joseph Michael Perera, Renuka Herath and Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake were entrusted with the task of resolving the internal crisis without allowing it to trigger another split in the party.

The rebel MPs pointed out to the committee that the UNP had suffered a string of election defeats, and therefore structural changes were imperative to win future elections.

Informed sources said that these four members stressed on the need for the party Chairman Rukman Senanayake to be appointed as the new UNP leader while Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe remained as the opposition leader. They also pointed out that the second and third positions of the party should go to Mr. Dissanayake and Mr. Premadasa.

“They don’t mind Mr. Wickremesinghe remaining as the opposition leader. They also assured that that the youth wing of the party should be placed in the hands of Mr. Premadasa,” sources said.

Among other demands put forward by them is a proposal to completely amend the party constitution, and introduce a new one which will include more democratic features.

Asked for his comments on the rift, senior UNP MP John Amaratunga, who was among those who participated in the negotiations said that the Committee would take up the proposals with Mr. Wickremesinghe when he returns from overseas on Friday. Mr. Wickremesinghe is currently on a visit to Europe.

“We had talks with them. Our committee will forward proposals made by them to the leader to take a decision regarding its implementation,” he said.