A group of UNP legislators are currently gathering signatures to urge the UNP leadership to summon a special parliamentary meeting to discus the UNP’s future and request the party leader to immediately step down from the position.
The group is now agitating that UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe should appoint a leader for an interim period and immediately step down allowing a new leadership to emerge. One of the signatories to the letter told * The Morning Leader* that so far eight signatures have been placed including some UNP frontliners, and the leadership should now concede that the baton must be passed on prior to facing any other election. The top UNP source confirmed that post Central and North Western Provincial Council elections, the majority of the members have reached a consensus that the present leader should not be allowed to lead the party at forthcoming elections. They also fear that in the event a presidential election precedes a general election, Wickremesinghe will perform poorly against incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse thereby further devastating the UNP that had steadily lost its parliamentary members to the government and crucial grassroots support. Another signatory from the North Western Province (NWP) said the name of UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya would be proposed as the interim leader until the party revamps itself and paves the way for young leaders to emerge. The ginger group members also maintain that if the UNP leadership rejects the proposal, they would feel compelled to break ranks and sit as a separate opposition group in parliament. The MPs feel confident that the beleaguered leadership may agree to an interim agreement given that the party may be split once again, if the proposal is rejected. One ginger group member told *The Morning Leader* that the UNP had failed to stem the party’s erosion and a leadership change was necessary at the moment. He added that the party’s stance on the war and some members’ ridiculous approach to the military successes have caused a further erosion in public support at village level. The ginger group members maintain that a major overhaul was necessary for the UNP before facing either a general or a presidential election and the party leader’s refusal to evolve, to accommodate views of others and the general lack of internal democracy has caused senior members to leave the party. According to top UNP sources eight members have so far placed their signatures to the letter calling for a special parliamentary group meeting to discuss the party’s future. The only non-parliamentarian to have placed his signature is UNP National Organiser, S. B. Dissanayake who topped the preferential votes list at the recently conclude Central Provincial Council election.
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