Akila denies rift within UNP

Wednesday, 18 September 2019 00:15 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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United National Party (UNP) General Sectary and Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam yesterday denied a rift existed within the party and charged that attempts were afoot to create a false impression of discord within the UNP.

General Sectary and Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam

Issuing a short media statement, Kariyawasam stated that certain parties were attempting to mislead the public by falsely creating the impression of a rift within the party. However, he stressed that there was no such splintering and insisted that the UNP was working to declare the most suitable person as the party’s presidential candidate.

“It has already been decided that the UNP will contest the upcoming presidential election as a coalition. As per the consensus of the coalition, a UNP member will be named as the presidential candidate,” Kariyawasam said.

He also said in the statement that the UNP would take necessary steps to name the most appropriate individual as its presidential candidate. He pointed out that the presidential candidate would be named in accordance with the processes outlined by the party’s constitution while protecting democratic values.

The statement added that once the candidate was named, all members of the UNP and its coalition would be dedicated to the victory of this individual.