Deputy leader appointment in February: Tissa

• Says no constitutional provision for more than one deputy leader at present

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said that the appointment of a deputy leader for 2013 would definitely be made when the Party’s Working Committee meets in February.

Attanayake said party seniors had met incumbent Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa for talks on Monday, regarding taking a unified party position on all issues and following the guidelines of the party leadership.

“We held cordial discussions yesterday where we decided that what was most important going forward was for everyone in the party to follow a single

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake

path and not work for personal agendas,” the General Secretary said.

Party senior hands Joseph Michael Perera, Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, Daya Gamage, Senarath Kapukotuwa and the General Secretary met Premadasa for talks at Sirikotha yesterday.

According to Attanayake the discussions with Premadasa centred around supporting the Party’s initiatives and to conduct even social welfare initiatives as part of a UNP-led programme. He said the response to the discussion were cordial and positive.

Sources close to Premadasa say that the UNP MP had maintained during the discussions with the senior party members that he had always stuck to the party line and always adhered to party guidelines and guidelines set by the UNP Leader. UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe held discussions with Premadasa last week. Monday’s meeting with the party seniors was a follow up to that meeting aimed at resolving the problem with regard to Premadasa’s reappointment as Deputy Leader.

Attanayake added that although there was speculation about the appointment of several deputy leaders, as per the current provisions of the UNP Constitution there could be only one appointment.

“The decision of whether it wants to amend the Constitution to create more positions is up to the Working Committee and then those decisions must be ratified at a UNP Convention,” Attanayake explained.  The Party’s next Working Committee meeting will take place in the second week of February, he said. The UNP General Secretary also added that the UNP had provided two additional weeks for the 16 MPs who voted for the impeachment motion on 11 January against the orders of the Party to show cause.

“This is so that if there has to be legal action, we want to make sure that we cannot be charged with not providing enough time for explanation to be given,” he said. The MPs have been given another 14 days to file responses with the Party commencing from 22 January.