Name presidential candidate before forming coalition: Sajith

• Says personal view is naming a candidate will allow formation of wider coalition to face election

United National Party (UNP) Deputy Leader and Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs Minister Sajith Premadasa yesterday said the UNP should form an alliance only after naming its presidential candidate

Minister Sajith Premadasa

Issuing a statement, Premadasa stated that media reports indicate he and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had agreed a UNP-led alliance should be formed immediately to contest the upcoming elections. However, he would only agree to such an alliance if the UNP names its presidential candidate before forming a coalition. 

“I agree not just 100% but a 100,000% that the UNP should form a coalition. However, this should be done according to the stance of the majority of UNP parliamentarians as well as other parties who have expressed willingness to join the UNP-led coalition. It is the view of the majority of UNP members that a presidential candidate should be named before the coalition is formed. I am in agreement with them and hold the same opinion personally,” he said.

Premadasa added that in his view, by naming the presidential candidate first, an environment to draw more people and parties into the proposed Democratic National Alliance (DNF) coalition will be created.

“The priority should be creating the coalition after naming the presidential candidate and not spreading false information through the media.” he added. 

However, party leaders who participated at a meeting on Thursday at Temple Trees told reporters that amending the constitution of the DNF will proceed and the alliance will be formally created before the end of this month. Prime Minister and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe also stated the coalition will be formed before the end of August in a speech made at Temple Trees on the same day.