UNP to reach MoU with 'Samagi Jana Balawegaya'

The UNP Working Committee yesterday (04) consented to reaching a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the 'Samagi Jana Balawegaya' to contest the poll in uniformity while safeguarding the party base.

The WC meeting, chaired by party leader - Ranil Wickremesinghe, was held yesterday at the UNP HQ - Sirikotha.


However, it was singular that not a single member of the Sajith Premadasa camp had attended the meeting.

Although former MP Malik Samarawickrema was present, he had left the venue shortly after the meeting began.

The WC has also decided to handover nominations for the upcoming general election on the same day as signing the MoU.

The WC has approved to use the 'elephant' symbol.

Meanwhile, the nomination board comprising of party leader - Ranil Wickremesinghe, deputy leader - Sajith Premadasa, general secretary - Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, deputy leader - Ravi Karunanayake, national organizer - Naveen Dissanayake and Kabir Hashim was appointed.

It was also decided to appoint the secretary of the 'Samagi Jana Balawegaya' to the nomination board.

All the powers of the nomination board fall under Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The WC had also decided to task him with deciding organisers and to finalise the party national list in a transparent manner.

However, legal experts from both camps are to further scrutinize the details of the MoU.

Meanwhile, speaking at a press conference after the WC meeting, UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam stated that he will not contest the election if the symbol was decided to be the 'telephone'.

Sajith's nomination committee

Meanwhile, a photo of several former UNP MPs has been uploaded to Mr. Premadasa's Facebook page, noting that it is the nomination board of the 'Samagi Jana Balawegaya' .

Ranjith Maddumabandara, Eran Wickremaratna, Malik Samarawickrema, Mangala Samaraweera, Thalatha Athukorala, Jayantha Samaraweera, Lakshman Kiriella, Kabir Hashim, Imtiaz Bakeer Markar and Ravi Jayawardena also appear in the picture.