DAYASIRI JAYASEKERA WALKS OUT OF A UNP WORKING COMMITTEE MEETING EXHIBITING DEEPENING POLITICAL CRISIS IN THE PARTY
Posted on August 13th, 2009

By Walter Jayawardhana

A deepening political crisis in the main opposition, United National Party was evident when parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekera stormed out of a Working Committee meeting threatening to resign from the powerful committee.

ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-No election could be won under the leadership of Ranil Wickramasinghe. He serves no purpose for the party or the country,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Jayasekera was quoted having shouted when he walked out of the meeting by others who were present.

Ranil Wickremesinghe has charged that it was the groups who bring alternative proposals that brought disruption to the party.

Party sources said very strong words were exchanged between party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and rebel parliamentarians like Laxman Seneviratne and Johnston Fernando who also walked out at one stage. They charged the dictatorial attitude of the leader in the party that has brought the downfall.

But Johnston Fernando returned to the meeting to question the leader to inquire about the next Presidential candidate of the party. The young rebels were perturbed over the idea, a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-common candidateƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ from out side the party is being prepared to contest the coming Presidential elections. Pro- Ranil sources have been allegedly talking about having a coalition with pro-LTTE elements like Mano Ganeshan etc.to fight the elections.

After walking out of the meeting Johnston Fernando returned to the meeting to question about the Presidential nominee of the party. Pro-Ranil Vajira Abeywardena then said it was not appropriate to discus the Presidential nominee now.

The rebel MPƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s pointed out that no unpatriotic election partners would win peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s support.

Few hours later, Sri Lanka Freedom Party General Secretary Maitripala Sirisena said parties could form coalitions to fight elections but if those coalescing parties do not carry popular support there is no purpose of those coalitions.

Sirisena predicted that no body would be able save the UNP in their lifetime at the rate it is deteriorating. He said the erosion in popularity has been caused by the unpopular party leadership.

Meanwhile Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said during the Southern Provincial Council elections campaign starting soon 18 middle level UNP leaders are scheduled to join the government

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