Friday, 27 September 2013 04:12
-
- {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
In the aftermath of the party’s humiliating defeat at all three provincial council elections held last Saturday, the main opposition United National Party is mulling significant changes, party MPs said.
Addressing a news conference yesterday, UNP Badulla District MP Harin Fernando said that his party was genuinely interested in heeding the call of the people. “In the next few days, the UNP will make a decision that is genuinely going to benefit the party,” Fernando said, adding that several rounds of talks in this regard had already been held at different levels. The changes could be made as soon as when the party’s Working Committee meets in early October, he said.
“The true problem in this party is the fact that there is a group loyal to the Government that is working to destroy the UNP,” Fernando told reporters.
“This is an unfortunate situation,” Fernando said, adding that even if a new UNP leader emerged, he would face the same problems by those carrying out contracts for the ruling regime.
“I am urging all those groups to refrain from doing things that are detrimental to the party and give us a few days to bring these issues to a resolution,” the UNP MP said. Slamming Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa for his statements about the UNP’s defeat at the provincial elections, Fernando said that Weerawansa’s party had fielded five candidates at the polls all of whom had been defeated. Striking a conciliatory note, Fernando also congratulated former UNP member and potential Chief Minister elect of the North Western Province Dayasiri Jayasekera on his massive victory in Saturday’s election, saying he had no personal grudges against him. Fernando was one of the most vocal UNP MPs against Jayasekera’s decision to cross over to the Government in July. (DB)
