Ranil appointed Opposition Leader due to absence of Sajith

Sajith Premadasa has not been available to meet any of the MPs or contactable over the phone, even to those who supported him during the presidential election, it is reported.The meeting between the Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and MP Sajith Premadasa scheduled to take place on November 26th had to be cancelled as Premadasa had failed to show up. It is also reported that the Speaker had expressed his dissatisfaction to Premadasa over his failure to attend the meeting.

However, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya had eventually decided to accept Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Opposition Leader, he said in a Twitter post yesterday (27).

The Speaker said he had arrived at this decision in accordance with parliamentary traditions.

A group of around 40 MPs had signed a letter that was sent to the Speaker requesting that Sajith Premadasa be appointed as the opposition leader. Meanwhile, the UNP General Secretary had requested the Speaker to appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as the opposition Leader.

Therefore, as Sajith Premadasa had failed to attend the meeting called by the Speaker on the 26th the Speaker is expected to take a firm decision.