The United National Party (UNP) announced yesterday (5) that Prasanna Shamal Senarath was appointed acting General Secretary of the party till December 31.
The new appointment was made after former MP Akila Viraj Kariyawasam resigned from the position. “I was given the appointment yesterday (5) evening. The party was anyway going to appoint new members for next year,” he told the Sunday Observer. He said the letter did not specify that he was the ‘acting’ General Secretary.
Kariyawasam resigned as the UNP’s General Secretary on November 23. UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe reportedly did not accept his resignation initially. The former MP said the reason for his resignation was that the position was due to expire on December 31 and he expected to make way for a new appointment.
“I also had some personal reasons to resign. I made a request earlier too,” Kariyawasam said.
The UNP is yet to decide on its leader’s position. According to Senarath, former MP Ruwan Wijewardene is tipped to be the favourite pick but he couldn’t confirm it.