Sajith loyalists against the abolition at this moment

Some of the ministers who back Deputy Leader of the UNP Sajith Premadasa, yesterday said they were not against the abolition of the executive presidency but only oppose the move to scrap it at a time a presidential election has been declared.

Premadasa loyalists Minister of Justice Thalatha Atukorale, Minister of Public Administration and Disaster Management Ranjith Madduma Bandara and Minister of Labour and Trade Union Relations Ravindra Samaraweera came out with this remark at a press conference yesterday.

Minister Atukorale said they opposed the move to scrap the executive presidency immediately as they wanted to go ahead with the presidential election as the UNP led alliance could win, if it was held.

“We wanted to make use of this opportunity and win the election first and then scrap the presidency,” she said.

“We know who was behind the suggestion to abolish the executive presidency but we are not going to reveal who it was,” she added. “May be some SLPP members who do not want former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the candidate were behind it as well,” Minister Madduma Bandara said responding to a question as to whether Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was behind it.

Meanwhile the three ministers denied the reports which said Mr. Premadasa would contest separately if he did not get the candidacy from the UNP.“WE have not thought of an alternative as we are sure that Mr. Premadasa will be named the official candidate of the UNP and its allies,” Mr. Madduma Bandara said.

When asked that in the event Mr. Premadasa emerged victorious at the presidential poll whether he would become the leader of the party as per the UNP constitution, Ms. Athukorala said that would not necessarily be the case as that clause which had been in the party constitution was removed in 1995.