Ranil in decisive discussion with UNP leaders

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Ranil in decisive discussion with UNP leaders
2010-09-13
Opposition and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe today (13) summoned a meeting with senior party leaders Karu Jayasuriya, Joseph Michael Perera and John Amaratunge to discuss the steps to be taken in the face of the challenges posed by Sajith Premadasa.UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting is to also hold a discussion with Sajith today evening.UNP legislator Kabri Hashim had today met with Wickremesinghe in the morning with a set of proposals from Sajith’s group. The party leader however had rejected the proposals.

The UNP Leader has told Kabir Hashim that although he was ready to resign from all posts in the party if a majority of the party members asked him to, he was not prepared to move out due to pressure from groups who are being manipulated by the government and who are working to create a split in the party.Sources from the Cambridge Terrace Opposition Leader’s Office said the party leader was to make some stern decisions in the next few days and that they would be presented to the party’s Working Committee on Saturday.
No UNP MP has informed me of a decision to sit interpedently in parliament – UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe
2010-09-13
UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that although the media has reported that 25 UNP MPs were planning on sitting independently in parliament, no one had conveyed such a decision to either him, the Speaker or the Chief Opposition Whip.
Wickremesinghe issuing a statement said that the respective MPs, whose names have been mention in the media as those planning to sit independently, have denied such a move.
He has added that members whose names have been mentioned have denied any such intention and that if any such communication is made, the matter will be taken up at the Working Committee.
Following is the statement issued by Wickremesinghe:
“Statement Issued by Ranil Wickremesinge Leader, United National Party
“The Media has carried several reports that there are 25 UNP Members of Parliament will be sitting as Independent Members. No one has conveyed any such intentions either to me, the Speaker or the Chief Opposition Whip. Many Members whose names have been mentioned have denied any such intention. If any such communication is made, the matter will be taken up at the Working Committee. I will be meeting the UNP Members of Parliament in the coming days.
13 September 2010”
An official from the Cambridge Terrace Opposition Leader’s Office told Lanka News Web that UNP MP Rosy Senanayake has informed the party leader that despite media reports that she would be sitting independently in parliament, she had not arrived at any such decision.
UNP Spokesperson and Gayantha Karunathileka, whose name has also been included by the media among the UNP MPs who are planning to sit independently in parliament, told the media today that although the UNP MPs and members wanted a change in the party no one has informed the party leader or the Speaker of any decision to sit independently in parliament yet.
Responding to a question by journalists he admitted that while the party reforms have been delayed steps would be taken to expedite them.