Government assisted United National Party leader unshaken by massive protest of rebel group

More than 10,000 activists of Sri Lanka's major opposition United National Party (UNP) held a demonstration against the party leader ranil Wickramasinghe near the Viharamahadevi Park.

Later they marched towards the office of the Opposition Leader and continued protest there. Some were seen attacking the gate of the office.

A group of traditional devil dancers performed a devil dance in front of the gate playing drums acting as chasing the devils in the party.

MP Dayasiri Jayasekara addressing the gathering said that they were not urging the Opposition Leader to resign but to hand over the party leadership to Karu Jayasuriya.

The agitation was earlier planned by Sajith Premadasa Group near the party headquarters Sirikotha but had to be changed due to a court ruling.

The government supported Wickramasinghe by closing the road in front of Sirikotha for carpeting. Wickramasinghe enjoyed protection from protests covering to the rollers of corrupt Maga Neguma.

However, the UNP sources say no significant decision was taken at the party working committee held yesterday regarding the leadership.

Karu Jayasuriya, Sajith Premadasa, Dayasiri Jayasekara and Ranjith Madduma Bandara of the rebel group also participated in the working committee meeting but reportedly remained silent mostly. No one asked Wickramasinghe to step down and hand over the reins to Co-Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya. Not only that, Sajith Premadasa reportedly agreed to work on the basis of the agreements reached on March 23, 2011 while airing his personal grievances in the party.

They even consented  disciplinary action against some leading figures of their group if they repeat violating party constitution despite being the mentors for them, sources say.

read more...

United National Party rebel Sajith in a do or die battle for the leadership

Sri Lanka's major opposition United National Party (UNP) sources say that the rebel group led by Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa is planning to hold a massive protest in front of Sirikotha, the party headquarters on August 17th when a crucial working committee meeting is scheduled.

The aim of the agitators is to topple the leader of the party Ranil Wickramasinghe in a revolutionary way against the party constitution.

Media reports said that the group was organizing to rally around 10,000 people and to surround the party headquarters to urge the party leader to resign.

Party sources say that by now all the efforts of the UNP seniors to resolve the crisis of the party amicably among the leaders have been unsuccessful.

Internal sources of the UNP say that the rebel group led by party Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa is not giving up the fight to topple the leader since UNP has great prospects of winning several crucial local government bodies like Colombo Municipal Council in the election scheduled for October.

"A person that leads the election can boast about the victory and Sajith's group is in a do or die battle to topple the leader before the local government election," a UNP senior said.

However, the situation developing in the UNP appears to be advantageous to the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA). Minister Basil Rajapaksa seems leading the election campaign for Colombo Municipal Council.

He is to declare open a shopping center for the Colombo minor traders in Gunasinghepura of Colombo Pettah bazar today.

It comprises of 468 stalls. The shops have been distributed among the pavement hawkers, of whom the majority is lumpen elements previously supportive to the UNP, that were evicted for public convenience and city beautification.

read more...