Following their defeat at the Presidential elections held on November 16, several key politicians in the United National Party (UNP) are to meet today (24) to discuss the future plans of the 73-year-old party, UNP parliamentarian Ranjith Madduma Bandara told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
“The party needs a new facet. The party should be practical in terms of its programs. We will decide on these at the meeting on Sunday,” MP Madduma Bandara said.
The United National Party is now facing another turbulent time as protests against the party leadership is deepening within the party. Some accused party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe for the defeat at recent elections.
UNP parliamentarians Nalin Bandara, Ajith P. Perera, Harin Fernando and Hesha Vithana openly accused the UNP leadership for the defeat at the Presidential election. “I will not work anymore under the current leadership of the UNP,” MP Nalin Bandara told the media.
While the General Secretary of the UNP, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam had sent a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, requesting to name Ranil Wickremesinghe as Leader of the Opposition, 45 parliamentarians who backed the UNP-led coalition also sent a letter to the Speaker requesting to name MP Sajith Premadasa as the Opposition Leader.