Wither UNP’s “will sit independently” group?

A group of United National Party (UNP) members threatened to sit as an independent group in the Opposition side in Parliament if party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe did not carry out party reforms soon. They gave their leader a time frame of 10 days to carry out the much hyped reforms within the party.

However, with the 10 days deadline ending yesterday (September 28) Mr. Wickremesinghe was yet to implement any of the reforms proposals hitherto discussed.

The ‘will sit independently’ group included UNP MPs Dayasiri Jayasekera Sajith Premadasa and several others. But Mr. Jayasekera has told the media that a decision is yet to be reached in the event that the UNP Leader does not respond positively to their demands.

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had said that the reforms would be carried out according to a set plan and that he will not give in to pressure by any vested interests. He had gone on record as saying no group had intimated any demands from him and that he was not aware of any such groups within the party.

In the meantime, Mr. Wickremesinghe was strongly canvassing for the release of Democratic National Alliance (DNA) leader and former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka. He urged party supporters to chant ‘seth kavi’ at temples and invoke the deities’ help in seeking the release of the former General as they could not fight the government.

Much to the surprise of everyone, such a grassroots group, namely the UNP members from the Dehiattakandiya Pradeshiya Sabha chanted ‘seth kavi’ and smashed coconuts at the Diyaviddagama Paththini Devalaya at Dehiattakandiya, not seeking the release of Sarath Fonseka, but seeking divine intervention to unseat UNP leader Ranil Wikcremesinghe and install Hambantota MP Sajith Premadasa as the party leader.