UNP launches membership drive for 3 million recruits

Wednesday, 22 June 2016 01:16 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

As Local Government elections inch closer the United National Party (UNP) is launching a fresh recruitment drive targeting three million fresh members under an initiative spearheaded by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Public Enterprise Development Minister Kabir Hashim yesterday told reporters the UNP has launched a new app for smartphone users to increase membership and would be releasing print membership forms in every major city countrywide from this month.

“The first set of membership forms will be distributed in a special ceremony on the 23rd of this month and will be presided over by the Prime Minister. A second ceremony will be held in Galle and this will gradually expand to cover all main cities,” the minister said.

Senior party members will take the campaign to the grassroots conducting door to door campaigns in every single electorate, he added. Sri Lanka currently has 15 million registered voters and the UNP is planning to encourage at least 20% or three million of them to become UNP members.

In September the UNP will celebrate its 70th anniversary in opulent style, said Minister Hashim, who is also the General Secretary of the UNP. For this ceremony the party plans to invite representatives of key political parties in other countries it has maintained relationships with. Accordingly China, India, Britain, Malaysia and Singapore will be asked to attend. (UJ)