MP Ruwan hands over youth wing to Harin

Wednesday, 24 September 2014 00:46 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Insists decision was voluntary, confident of acceptance
Fernando deserving of place on Leadership Council
Says appointment of Sajith as Deputy Leader will be beneficial
Calls on UNP members to work for party not positions

By Uditha Jayasinghe Lending more wind to the United National Party’s wings, MP Ruwan Wijewardene yesterday decided to voluntarily hand over the Chairmanship of the UNP National Youth Front to Harin Fernando, who topped the preferential voter list at the Uva polls. Wijewardene insisted it was a completely personal decision and he would offer up the Chairmanship to Fernando at the Working Committee meeting of the UNP.

MP Ruwan Wijewardene at a media conference yesterday along with MP Dr. Harsha de Silva - Pic by Upul Abayasekara

He expressed confidence Fernando would accept the position and continue to build the grassroots level movement. Fernando is already the Deputy Chairman of the National Youth Front. “This is the new culture of the UNP. I am not concerned about positions. All I want is to do all that I can for the improvement of the party and through that the rest of the country. The UNP was the real victor at the Uva provincial polls, that is obvious to everyone and now we have to do everything we can to ready the party for the next hurdle, which will likely be presidential elections,” he told reporters at his residence. Wijewardene also commended the “huge sacrifice” made by Fernando in giving up his position in Parliament along with all its privileges to spearhead UNP’s electoral battle in Uva, emerging with the highest-ever number of preferential votes from Badulla. “Harin Fernando has proven himself as a frontrunner in the youth leadership of the UNP and it is my opinion that he should be helped in every possible way. I have never asked for or contested for positions from the party and I believe this is a good decision to bring the party forward.” Responding to questions, Wijewardene also opined that if the tenure of the Leadership Council were to be extended, then it was his personal view that Fernando deserved a place in it. He pointed out the Uva provincial poll results had boosted party ranks across the country and rejuvenated politics in the country, all due to Fernando’s performance. He also backed MP Sajith Premadasa’s appointment as Deputy Leader of the UNP, emphasising it would be a constructive and unifying move for the party. “There will always be differences but I believe these can be resolved through discussions.” Several UNP front-liners including firebrand economic critics MP Dr. Harsha de Silva and MP Eran Wickramaratne praised Wijewardene’s decision. The latter termed it as a “bittersweet” moment as the decision would mean a change in the ranks within the UNP. However, all of them agreed that it was a pivotal instance where all UNP members would be given the example through young leaders to work for the party rather than for themselves. The UNP will also continue its monitoring of State institutions from next week, moving its focus to prisons. The exact date and institution being visited will be announced in due course, MP Ajith Perera said.