UNP -led ...

Council Chairman MP Karu Jayasuriya told Daily Mirror that the UNP had always been a patriotic party, but its image had been tarnished through the media’s false propaganda in the recent past. He said he would act to revamp the party by appealing to the masses.

Mr. Jayasuriya also said the Council would meet the party organisers and activists of the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts during the weekend.

“After that we will meet the organisers and activists of the Kegalle district next week. We organise the party at grassroots level. We anticipate early elections in the western and southern provinces next year. Therefore, we have to identify candidates for these elections. There will also be a major election - either presidential or general. For that, we have to get ready,” he said.

The party was now engaged in the preparation of a new policy manifesto for the election.

Reiterating that the building of unity among members of the party was the foremost task of the Leadership Council, he said efforts were still underway to woo MPs Sajith Premadasa and Ms Thalata Athukorale to the Council.

“We have made an open request. We want to work with them. It is a matter of duty. We need to unite all the segments with different opinions. I assumed duties in my present role upon a request by the Maha Sangha who wanted to restore the glory of the grand old party. This is not something that I asked for. I have been bestowed with this task. It is my duty,” he said.

Asked who the next presidential candidate would be, he replied, “That will be decided by the party at the right time. However, there is a school of thought in the opposition that there should be a candidate acceptable to all.”