UNP unshackles ultimately

Wednesday, 24 September 2014 00:39 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sajith appointed Deputy Leader; Ravi K gets Assistant Leader
Eran for UNP Treasurer; Akila Viraj as Deputy General Secretary
Ranjith Madummabandara as Senior Vice President; nThalatha as Secretary of Election Affairs

By Dharisha Bastians Gearing up for a major national election in the coming year, the main opposition United National Party made a series of fresh appointments at its crucial Working Committee meeting held at Sirikotha yesterday. The reinstatement of Hambantota District MP Sajith Premadasa as the party’s Deputy Leader was the highlight of the Working Committee meeting. A crowd of Premadasa supporters flocked to Sirikotha in Pitakotte awaiting the announcement of his reappointment.

Mumbo jumbo?

Once battling with each other but now united, the UNP’s newly-appointed Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa shakes hands with new Assistant Leader Ravi Karunanayake after the Working Committee meeting - Pic by Pradeep Pathirana

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe proposed Premadasa’s name as Deputy Leader of the party and there were no objections raised. The Working Committee later unanimously approved the appointment and several others that were made yesterday. Vocal Premadasa critic, Ravi Karunanayake was appointed UNP Assistant Leader. Harin Fernando who quit his parliament seat to give the UNP a boost in the Uva provincial election has been appointed Chairman of the UNP National Youth Front. With Fernando’s candidature breathing life into the UNP, which has had little electoral success in many years, the party managed to more than double its votes in Uva, which includes the UPFA stronghold of Moneragala. National List legislator and the party’s organiser for Colombo East and Borella, Eran Wickremaratne was appointed UNP Treasurer. Parliamentarian Akila Viraj Kariyawasam was appointed Deputy General Secretary. Ranjith Madummabandara was made Senior Vice President and Thalatha Athukorala was named Secretary of Election Affairs. The new appointments are aimed at uniting warring factions within the party, which is largely divided into the Ranil and Sajith camps.

Premadasa was criticised by the UNP leadership for refusing to be a team player during the one year that he served as Deputy Leader. He has repeatedly challenged the leadership in the recent past, insisting that Wickremesinghe step down as UNP Leader. Negotiations have been underway to bring Premadasa back into the fold even though the move has proved unpopular with several senior UNP members, authoritative sources told Daily FT. Premadasa’s reinstatement was crystallised at the UNP’s anniversary celebrations in Passara, in the Badulla District, when he took the stage together with Wickremesinghe, Karu Jayasuriya and others after the UNP leaders suggested proposing his name as Deputy Leader after the polls.