Ranil re-elected UNP leader -UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday denied having received a letter from Mahanayake Theras
Posted on December 19th, 2011

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was re-elected leader of the United National Party at its first election, with a majority of 42 votes. The election was held at the UNP party headquarters – Sirikotha-under the patronage of UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake and senior party officials. UNP Gampaha district Parliamentarian Karu Jayasuriya who contested the post of party leader could garner only 26 votes.

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday denied having received a letter from the Mahanayake Theras, of the four Buddhist Chapters, asking him to quit the leadership while continuing as Opposition Leader.
Sources told The Island that Wickremesinghe had informed yesterdayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Working Committee Meeting at “Sirikotha” that the letter purportedly written by the four MahanayakeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s and released to the media by the Karu Jayasuirya camp, was not delivered to him.
“I did not receive any letter from the Mahanayakes,” he had told the members adding that it was an attempt by his opponents to gain mileage through the media.
This is the letter send to Hon. Ranil Wickramasinghe by the Mahanayaka Theroes of the four Chapters.

The letter was signed by most reverent Thibbatuwawe thero, Udugama thero, Wewalduwe Medalankara Thero and Dawuldena Thero.

18 Responses to “Ranil re-elected UNP leader -UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday denied having received a letter from Mahanayake Theras”

  1. Lorenzo Says:

    No need.

    Ranil should remain as the UNP leader and the opposition leader.

    Buddhist monks should not get involved in politics.

    Replacing one loser with another loser will not work.

    1. At least Ranil was faithful to the UNP not like Karu who jumped from party to party for positions. So on grounds of faithfulness Ranil MUST remain the UNP leader.

    2. Corruption – Ranil is way better than Karu.

    3. Political experience – RW better than Karu

    4. Winning elections – RW is better than Karu. RW ALWAYS got more votes than this loser.

    5. Nepotism – It is guaranteed that RW will not benefit his children in anyway unlike the other.

    6. RW is younger than the other. Remember the next national election is in 5 years time. By then Karu will be very old (76 years old). That is older than JRJ when he became PM in 1977!!! What a foolish decision!

    Even better, there will be another tussle for UNP leadership soon when Karu dies. Like the cricket team. Replace Sanga (33) with Dilshan (36)!

  2. Ben_silva Says:

    My view is Buddhist Monks should voice their opinion when ever there is injustice, inequality, unfairness or if the country is in danger of falling into alien hands. In Vietnam, Buddhist monks played a key role in the liberation movement. What were the Mahanayakas were doing when Ranil signed the CFA ? I noticed shocking disregard for the disabled, sick, old people in Lanka and perhaps Buddhist Monks could voice their opinion. Insulating Buddhist monks fron real life, including politics, is probably not good. Why should a Buddhist monk be treated differently. In my view a Buddhist Monk shoyld have all human rights and should not be treated differently.

  3. sena Says:

    Ven. Mahanayake Theros,
    This piece of advice aside please organize sanga in social activities for example to educate and increase the nutrition level of specially women and children. Many temples have lot of wealth and priests are in a ideal position to raise awareness on the importance of social service and raise money for the same from the public. For all the strength of organizational skills of Buddhist clergy there is very little work or interest in addressing the critical social problems by them. The poor nutrition has already resulted in visible decrease in people’s physique and not to mention the decreased mental abilities resulting in less productive masses. A drive to address this situation by Buddhist clergy will have an immediate grass root level success and will also enhance their stature among the public

  4. douglas Says:

    My view – There is nothing wrong in Buddhist Monks getting involved in shaping the political destiny of the country. Most of us tend to forget and deny the role played by the clergy during the colonial rule in the history of Sri Lanka. Were it not for them there would not have been a country to be called Lanka. Please recollect the names of those clergy who contributed in no small measure and even faced the gun to gain political recognition and establish an independent country called Lanka. In this context I consider this advice by the Sangha is most appropriate and timely.

    It is hilarous to find some enumerating the virtues of Ranil Wickramasinghe at this hour. Enough to say that by holding the position of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka he hatched a plot along with the Norwegians to hand over the demanded portion of this country to a ruthless Terrorist even by- passing the Cabinet and the then Executive President who was the Minister of Deffence. After he became the Leader of the Opposition we know what and what he did to destabilize the country. He is the one who initiated a petition against S/L to USA and until this was revealed in Parliament by the Minster of External Affairs no one in the country knew about it. Then what about the campaign he carried out against granting of the GSP + even without any consideration of the grave dangers that would have on the livellihood of thousands of employees of the garment industry. When he was questioned in the Parliament as regards this subject, he could not explain and he had the audacity to say: “What is wrong in it, if I said it”.

    But suddenly he is supported to be the President of the UNP and the Leader of the Opposition. We are fully aware of the secret. So long as he is the Leader of the Opposition and President of the UNP, UPFA has nothing to worry. A few months ago the SLBC Chairman Mr. Hudson Samarasinghe in his programme called “Dasa Desin”described Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe like this: “Ranil has a physical body of Royal College, but his brain is that of MONTESSORI” But a few weeks back you must have listened to this same programme how he described him as the most educated,honest,trustworthy etc. politician we have in the Opposition.

    So no wander my village folks described this scenario as: “Kanna Ona Unahama Kabra Goyath, Thalagoya Wenawa”

  5. Lorenzo Says:

    Doglas,

    Is Karu better than Ranil in PREVENTING the CFA? Blackmailing SL in USA? Keeping terrorists like Jayalath in the UNP?

    NO!

    He is PART of it!

    Replacing one traitor with another is not going to do anything good to the UNP.

    Sanga has better things to do than get involved in petty INTERNAL party politics. Protecting the nation directly without getting into party politics is a different thing.

  6. nandimitra Says:

    Unfortunately it is the UNP that set the standards of governance in SL. The deductions should be obvious. The sri lankan parties lack internal democracy. With out internal democracy you cannot produce leaders of quality which every sri lankan should lament. Leaders either wish to remain in that position for long as they can let the country go to hell or would like to transfer power to a sibling. Ranil having no children must be wanting to be in that position for ever.
    Re the Buddhists prelates they are a disgrace. The injustices ,bribery and corruption are rampent in sri lankan society. Not one word is heard from them about the moral deprivity in the country but has the courage to advise who the next leader of the UNP should be. What is demanded from them is to demand internal democracy in every political party in Sri Lanka.

  7. Ananda-USA Says:

    The choice between Ranil Wickramasinghe and Karu Jayasuriya is a Hobson’s choice …the choice between the devil or the deep blue sea.

    Both of these politicians presided over dividing the nation in two and handing over the North & East to a murderous racist terrorist organization, happily colluding with Western Powers and NGOs to make a mockery of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty.

    A pox on both their houses, I say. My long departed father’s party of patriots … the UNP … that restored to Sri Lanka its hallowed crown … is NO MORE. The UNP today is a party dominated by anti-national elements unrepentantly conniving with foreign powers, NGOs and the Tamil Diaspora to undermine and destabilize Sri Lanka. Even when Sri Lanka was at death’s door they could not summon the will to form a National Salvation Government to save their motherland from looming disintegration.

    I say to the large numbers of patriotic citizens of Sri Lanka who still support the UNP as an inherited habit … JUDGE the leaders of the UNP on the basis of their PATRIOTISM, DITCH all those who continue to undermine the motherland, and RESCUE this grand old party from oblivion. Create a new UNP of PATRIOTS!

    The Sri Lankan people of today have seen how effective a PATRIOTIC GOVERNMENT, that holds the National Interest paramount, can be in defending and protecting Sri Lanka, and in ushering in the Dawn of a New Age to become the New Wonder of Asia. We YEARN as people, long humiliated for our poverty of treasure and unity, to achieve that goal … together as ONE people.

    The vast majority of ordinary Sri Lankans will no longer support a party wedded to divisive, obstructionist, anti-national policies.

  8. Lorenzo Says:

    Karu is well known within the party as Karumaya. More UNP MPs (who are still with the UNP) and more provincial elected UNPers, CMC, Pradeshiya Sabha elected UNPers support Ranil than Karumaya.

    Sajith is different but no one wants to promote him. Not even the Sanga!

  9. Lorenzo Says:

    Ranil re-elected as UNP leader.

    People should vote him out! :)

  10. Lorenzo Says:

    The UNP leader Ranil Wickramasinghe received 72 votes while Karu Jayasuriya received 24 votes.

    75% of votes went to RW. Karu maya only 25%.

    Now people should vote him out by defeating the UNP in 2016. That should teach RW supporter a lesson.

  11. Lorenzo Says:

    This clearly shows UNPers don’t listen to the Sanga.

    75% went against the Sanga request.

    Now people should vote him out by defeating the UNP in 2016. That should teach RW supporter a lesson.

  12. Lorenzo Says:

    Another breakaway?

    This is a good chance for the govt to pass ALL PATRIOTIC, NATIONALIST, ANTI-TE, etc. laws that need 2/3 majority. Scrap 13 amendment.

    Pass the media authority bill NOW. It will become handy in future and benefit the people.

    Ban ALL race based political parties. Govt tried this in 2009 but failed as they didn’t have the 2/3. NOW is the time.

    PUNISH all war crimes nonsense talkers. BAN ALL anti-SL NGOs via a constitutional amendment so that it may not be easily reversed. BAN ALL political solutions unless they DIRECTLY benefit the majority.

    If the govt does these things, GRATEFUL people will forever remember them. Otherwise what happened to the UNP that won 5/6 majority in 1997 will happen to the UPFA someday. Remember power doesn’t stay forever! UPFA WILL lose oneday BIGTIME but what matters is what they do with the power.

  13. NeelaMahaYoda Says:

    It is a grand plot to stop Sajith by Karu and Ranil with the help of US diplomats. See how Sajith won the Deputy Leader post, Sajith Premadasa received 52 votes defeating Ravi Karunanayaka who received 44 votes. Definitely Sajith had a better chance to win the leadership contest.

  14. Lorenzo Says:

    Neela,

    Exactly!

    Remember UNP constitution was changed a couple of months ago?

    At that time it was Ranil vs. Sajith. Then RW cleverly plotted against Sajith by getting Karu to contest against him. Had Sajith too joined the fray, he would not have had any chance.

    So a BS contest was put up which was won by RW!

    Sajith was made the deputy leader. That is a BS post. We all know that. But Karu lost that too!

    Ravi was a better organiser than anyone else LOST! Now he is without any major post!

  15. Fran Diaz Says:

    When the political infighting goes on, the people who want to use Lanka for their own agendas ‘makes hay while the sun shines’. Why can’t our voters demand through Petitions to GoSL (send to Speaker of House), what needs to be done for the good of the country. I can name at least 7 items for such a list.

  16. Samson Says:

    Now UNP will be in opposition forever.

    UNP Bangawewa!

    How foolish are these people? Can’t they see Ranil is leading them to disaster after disaster.

  17. Devinda Fernando Says:

    Relax People…. Ranil is the UNP’s seat warmer for the next 10 years.

    No one will win against Mahinda in the next decade, this is a painful Fact that the UNP insiders have come to realize and thus they willingly allow Ranil to squat the leadership throne because if someone is going to be humiliated in the next Presidential Election against a People’s President who has higher approval ratings that D.S. Sennanayake – then why not let it be Ranil Wickramasinghe?

    He is a Serial Loser who is perfect for the UNP position right now. No need to waste good candidates when the country is in good shape and growing in leaps and bounds under Mahinda Rajapakse. There is no need of the UNP right now, they will not make the country advance any better than it already is and we have a great Leader in H.E. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Let the UNP consolidate their power and when the PA stops doing good for the Sri Lankan people then they can step up and challenge the leadership…. 10 years from now.

  18. Christie Says:

    RW, Kar and Sajith and all in the UNP should join the UPFA and support the government.

    What we need is unity among the majority. When that happens the privilledged minority Tamils will follow.

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