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| Sunday, 8 February 2004 |
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Politics |  |
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Uproar over call for change in UNP leadership A proposal to appoint a new leader for the UNP to contest future elections has triggered division and bickering among some members present at the UNP Executive Meeting held at Siri Kotha on Independence Day. A group consisting of party stalwarts has pointed out that the change in the UNP leadership is a must to face the new set up created within the Sri Lankan political arena by the SLFP and JVP new Alliance. The meeting has been a hot bed as those in favour of the UNP leader Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had tried to contest the issue and the reply given by the group opposed to the present leader had created disturbances, Siri Kotha sources said. Sources also added that Ministers Karu Jayasuriya, Tyronne Fernando, W. J. M. Lokubandara and P. Dayarathne the moderates of the party had remained uncommitted. The Executive Committee has also discussed at length the decision of the Ceylon Workers Congress to contest the next general election separately. Members representing the Plantation sector had pointed out that if the UNP failed to get Minister Thondaman to change his party's stand, his decision would have a dreadful impact on UNP power base in Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Matale and Kandy. Siri Kotha sources also said that some members had asked the party top brass not to give nominations to Ministers S. B. Dissanayake and Mahinda Wijesekera, as there have been serious allegations against them. A Minister who wanted to remain anonymous said that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had accepted that the two Ministers had brought disgrace to the party. |
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