Ranil tells committee to discuss everything except replacing him

Sources close to Sirikotha told Ada Derana that UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe before leaving the country had instructed the Reforms Committee members to discuss all proposals except those pertaining to changing the current UNP leadership.

However a UNP working committee member told Ada Derana that Wickremasinghe before leaving for India had said that if the popular consensus is for him to quit he would do so and not stay on by force.

The reforms committee chairman Joseph Michael Perera speaking to Ada Derana said that Wickremasinghe is due tomorrow and that another meeting will be held on Thursday at 3pm at Sirikotha to discuss the proposals.

Perera however said that the final report initially due on Sunday will be further delayed to either Monday or Tuesday.

Perera also noted that the major reform proposals had been submitted by MPs Dayasiri Jayasekara and Sajith Premadasa.

Under the proposal to appoint UNP leaders by election a sub-section is devoted to replacing the current leader of the party. According to sources Wickremasinghe dissuaded the discussion of this proposal before leaving for India.