Reformists oppose manner in which national organiser was elected :

Can Ravi mobilise support from Sajith group?

By Jaliya WIJEYEKOON

The United National Party, which had turned over a new leaf with the last Annual Convention held on December 12, is gradually and steadily progressing to regain its lost glory amidst minor hiccups in the party mechanism.

After a number of consecutive defeats suffered by the party, especially with the humiliating defeat at the last Presidential election followed by the General election, the leadership of the party was challenged by the young parliamentarian from Hambantota district Sajith Premadasa, the son of the former President, the late Ranasinghe Premadasa.

His voice became stronger, gathering momentum with the support of some stalwarts in the party such as Dayasiri Jayasekera, Thalatha Athukorale, Buddhika Pathirana, Rozy Senanayake, Sujeewa Senasinghe and Ranjith Madduma Bandara.

However, at a subsequent executive committee meeting held at Party Headquarters, the membership had come to a conclusion that all high positions of the party should be filled with the consensus of the membership to avoid possible divisions in the party.

Accordingly, to the surprise of the membership, Sajith Premadasa willingly accepted the Co-Deputy leadership of the party and Ranil Wickremesinghe remained its leader while a few members were appointed to the working committee.

Subsequently, the National organiser post of the party was also to be filled and Moneragala district MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara was eying for the same with the support of most party stalwarts who supported Sajith Premadasa in his quest for the leadership.

The Executive Committee of the party met on May 4 and after a heap of arguments and a barrage of verbal attacks and counter-attacks, Wickremesinghe appointed senior Parliamentarian Colombo district MP Ravi Karunanayake as the National Organiser of the party in keeping with a consensus reached at the last advisory committee meeting.

Some of the members were unhappy about this appointment and walked out of the premises.

Premadasa immediately held a press conference and expressed his dissatisfaction over the new appointment, claiming that it was illegal according to the party Constitution amended on December 12, 2010. However, Karunanayake addressing the media, soon after his appointment, stated that he would strive hard to consolidate the membership and work for the victory of the party at a future election.

Karunanayake, who hails from the elite society in Colombo, is a double qualified accountant and a business tycoon who headed a number of enterprises. His political mentor was the late Lalith Athulathmudali.

The Sunday Observer contacted Ravi Karunanayake to find out his future plans as the National Organiser and how he intends to reorganise the party.

Q: You were elected National Organiser of the UNP at the last Executive Committee meeting amidst some objections from certain quarters of the party. What is your main role as the new National Organiser of this grand old party? What are your future plans to resurrect the party from what it is today?

A: Briefly, I can say that my main aim is to re-establish the team spirit among all our members and consolidate the disintegrated fractions of the party to march forward as a single unit.

I know its a Herculean task, but it is possible if we work in unity and with a clear vision to ensure victory for the party at a future election.

I already framed a time schedule to meet all the electoral organisers in the party and regroup all breakaway factions and strengthen the party.

As a responsible political party which had governed this country successfully for over 30 years since independence, we are committed to uphold democratic values and work for the betterment of the people, irrespective of any differences.

Our primary aim is national reconciliation which we are confident of bringing about under a UNP government.

The Sunday Observer also contacted some UNP stalwarts for their views about the latest developments on the party and especially about the appointment of Ravi Karunanayake as the National Organiser.

Most were pleased with the appointment of Ravi Karunanayake as the National Organiser of the party as he is a man with many abilities, besides being a senior Parliamentarian who has proven his talents in the past.

According to some of the Parliamentarians, right now the UNP needs a person who is capable of even shouldering the financial burdens of the party in addition to other requirements such as seniority, organising ability, oratory skill, and personal charisma.

Karunanayake possesses all these qualities and most UNP members are happy about his appointment as National Organiser of the party. They pledged their fullest cooperation to him in discharging his duties in the new responsible assignment.

However, there are some members who are not agreeable with him, claiming that he represents the elite class of Colombo and does not rub shoulders with the rural peasants of the country.

They said that they have nothing personal against Ravi Karunanayake, but that the National Organiser should be a person from a rural background, who feels the pulse of the rural peasants and ordinary masses of the country.

The National Organiser post in the United National Party is a powerful and responsible position.

The National Organiser has to coordinate, instruct, assess and monitor the performance of all electoral and provincial organisers and take instant decisions where necessary.

Party membership from all corners of the island will be anxiously waiting to see how the new National Organiser handles the affairs of the party to bring back its lost glory.