New Constitution approved for UNP

Monday, 13 December 2010 00:33 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

May the best man win!

The main opposition, United National Party (UNP) adopted the new party constitution yesterday in the Special Convention at the party head quarters.

A tense situation occurred as only invited members were allowed to enter the premises for the convention due to “security concerns”. However the restriction was lifted later.

Addressing the Convention, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said that party is expecting to bring a set of young leaders to the party.

“We will bring a new young set of leaders to the UNP” Opposition leader said.

Parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa, Parliamentarian Wijedasa Rajapaksa and UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanakaya also addressed the Convention.

It is hoped that the long running struggle for constitutional change led by Sajith Premadasa and Dayasiri Jayasekara will see an end following the Convention.

According to the present constitution of the party the current UNP Leader Wickremesinghe is appointed for life.

The party had been plagued with internal disputes over Wickremesinghe’s leadership and the grand old party has failed to secure a victory in any of the polls, provincial or general, held within the last 9 years.

In October a group of 25 UNP parliamentarians led by MP Dayasiri Jayasekara threatened to sit independently in the Parliament if reforms in the party were not brought soon and the crisis over party leadership was not resolved.

As a result, a reforms committee headed by UNP MP Joseph Michael Perera proposed the new party constitution that includes party and the party’s Working Committee approved the reforms.

(www.colombopage.com)