Tuesday, 23 July 2013 01:43
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By Dharisha Bastians
Moves to prevent the crossover of Kurunegala Distict MP Dayasiri Jayasekera may have proved successful highly placed UNP sources said, after speculation was rife that he would make a statement in Parliament today and resign to contest the North Western Provincial election on the ruling party ticket.
Several rounds of discussion have been held with Jayasekera including one late last week with UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Political circles buzzed with the information that Jayasekera would resign his Parliamentary seat today (23 July) and be nominated as the ruling party’s chief ministerial candidate for the North Western Province. Jayasekera has repeatedly denied the reports although his statements on the issue of his crossover have remained ambiguous and nuanced.
However, sources told Daily FT, the UNP was striving for consensus in the Kurunegala district with rapprochement efforts underway, between the party leadership and dissidents Palitha Range Bandara and Asoka Abeysinghe who were recently suspended from the UNP for their participation in a Sarath Fonseka led rally last October against a party directive.
Both MPs have confirmed they would be meeting with Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe later this week.
