3748755
03-01-2009, 11:57 AM
After his return from overseas, Sri Lanka’s Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is facing another crisis in his United National Party (UNP). The majority of its parliamentary group are reportedly pressurising him once again to step down from the party leadership.
According to party sources, the parliamentary group which met last night (Feb. 26) had urged Mr. Wickremasinghe to step down from his post in the party with immediate effect.
From the 28 Members of Parliament who were present at special parliamentary group meeting, at least 14 had appealed to Mr. Wickremesinghe to resign from the party leadership. They had reportedly stated that they had no objections to Wickremesinghe remaining in the party in a similar position as that of Sonia Gandhi in the Indian Congress.
MPs like Johnston Fernando, Sajith Premadasa, S.B Dissanayake, Rukman Senanayake, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Earl Gunasekara, Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, and Lakshman Senaviratne had reportedly blamed Ranil Wickremesinghe for the continuous election defeats suffered by the party.
Only Vajira Abeywardena and Renuka Herath are said to have stood by their leader during this crisis.
However responding to the charges leveled against him, Mr. Wickremasinghe had told the party parliamentary group that he wants a few days to make a decision on this issue. Following the meeting the Opposition Leader has held a special discussion at his official residence in Cambridge Place, which had been attended by a few party loyalists. These members had declined to divulge to the media the outcome of this particular meeting.
-Ada Derana-
According to party sources, the parliamentary group which met last night (Feb. 26) had urged Mr. Wickremasinghe to step down from his post in the party with immediate effect.
From the 28 Members of Parliament who were present at special parliamentary group meeting, at least 14 had appealed to Mr. Wickremesinghe to resign from the party leadership. They had reportedly stated that they had no objections to Wickremesinghe remaining in the party in a similar position as that of Sonia Gandhi in the Indian Congress.
MPs like Johnston Fernando, Sajith Premadasa, S.B Dissanayake, Rukman Senanayake, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Earl Gunasekara, Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, and Lakshman Senaviratne had reportedly blamed Ranil Wickremesinghe for the continuous election defeats suffered by the party.
Only Vajira Abeywardena and Renuka Herath are said to have stood by their leader during this crisis.
However responding to the charges leveled against him, Mr. Wickremasinghe had told the party parliamentary group that he wants a few days to make a decision on this issue. Following the meeting the Opposition Leader has held a special discussion at his official residence in Cambridge Place, which had been attended by a few party loyalists. These members had declined to divulge to the media the outcome of this particular meeting.
-Ada Derana-