UNP to analyse why it lost Sinhala-Buddhist vote base

• RW says important to focus on loss of Sinhala-Buddhist base to move forward
• Rejects allegations that UNP machinery sabotaged Sajith’s campaign
• Says an analysis of electoral loss will be done
• Says party will be entrusted to a winning leadership in future

By Chandani Kirinde

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday it was important for the party to analyse why it lost its Sinhala Buddhist vote base, as the party looks to rebuild after the defeat at the recently-concluded

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe

Presidential Election. “One thing we have to especially inquire into is and focus our attention on is why we lost the Sinhala Buddhist base. Therefore, an analysis of the election result is important for the UNP to move forward,” Wickremesinghe told a group of party workers at its headquarters Sirikotha yesterday.

He said that the UNP’s party machinery had worked with dedication for its candidate Sajith Premadasa. “I proposed his name as our candidate and it was unanimously endorsed by all. Different responsibilities were handed over to ministers, MPs and other party workers and they did their best. I reject allegations that the party worked to sabotage the campaign,” he said.

Wickremesinghe said he had taken over the campaign in the north and east and in these areas the UNP was able to increase its vote base but in the south of the country the party had lost ground and this had led to the election loss.

“The democratic measures we put in place and our development activities as well as social welfare measures did not yield the expected results,” he said.

The UNP Leader said it was important to analyse the election results to move forward without engaging in finger-pointing.

“If there are allegations made, they can be inquired into and if they’re found to be false, we have to deal with those making these allegations,” he said.

Wickremesinghe also said the UNP’s future would be entrusted to future leaders. “While we analyse the results, we have to hand over the party to its future leaders. We need a winning leadership with which the party can go forward,” he said.

Wickremesinghe said as a Buddhist, if some mistake happens, it is not right to point fingers at others but seek out the reasons for what happened and take corrective measures.

He also promised to get the blessings of the Maha Sangha and move forward as a new UNP.