The special discussion between the leader and deputy leader of United National Party (UNP), Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Minister of Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs Sajith Premadasa has been rescheduled for today (10).

Sources from the UNP said the meeting will take place at the Temple Trees tonight to make a final decision on the presidential candidacy.

In a meeting recently held with the senior members of the UNP, it was decided that the party leader and the deputy leader must come to an agreement on who will be contesting in the upcoming presidential election.

Minister Lakshman Kiriella said this discussion would resolve the existing issue regarding the UNP’s presidential hopeful.

Minister Navin Dissanayake commented that according to the party’s constitution the deputy leader has to contest in the presidential election if the party leader does not take part.

This special meeting was scheduled to be held last Sunday (08), however, it was later 
2postponed.

Meanwhile, Minister Sajith yesterday (09) held talks with the representatives of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) led by Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi leader MP Mavai Senathirajah. The meeting was held at a private hotel in Jaffna.

Parliamentarians M.A. Sumanthiran, Dharmalingam Sithadthan, E. Saravanapavan and Jaffna Mayor Emmanuel Arnold also took part in the discussion.