‘No solution to UNP crisis’

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

Former UNP stalwart and UPFA candidate for the Wayamba Provincial Council Election Dayasiri Jayasekara said that there is no solution to the UNP crisis and it will face a humiliating defeat at all future elections. The UNP will not capture power in the next 10 years.

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is talking about an election in 2014 to capture power. This is merely a pipe dream which would never become a reality. These absurd statements by the UNP hierarchy give some stimulant to the party-men to remain in power. The UNP’s vote base has eroded drastically he told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

Jayasekara said the UNP Leader has extended his term for another six years to stay in power. While Wickremesinghe remained the Leader 65 UNP MPs had left the party and joined the Government. Apart from the large number of parliamentarians who left the UNP, hundreds of Provincial Council and Local Government members who strongly oppose the UNP leadership is also joining the Government.

The UNP Leader has introduced dictatorial clauses to the party’s constitution such as Clause 8 (1) which says that unless a vacancy occurs in the post of Leader, that post will remain unchanged. Therefore, even if the UNP loses all future elections, its leader will continue in office till 2018, he said.

The former UNP MP said there is no radical change in the UNP’s new draft constitution.

The only radical change made by Wickremesinghe is to expel competent people from the party. Mere words would not ensure comprehensive reforms.

Many of our party members have been penalised while a large number of party stalwarts have crossed over to the Government due to the incumbent leadership, he said.