RANIL, KARU OR SAJITH FOR PRESIDENCY: HESHA

We have no intention of supporting a common candidate

United National Party (UNP) MP Hesha Withanage said yesterday his party would pick one of its three leaders - Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe,

Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa or Speaker Karu Jayasuriya as its presidential candidate.

He told a news conference that these three leaders would be President, Prime Minister and Speaker under a future UNP government and confirmed that the UNP had no intention of supporting any outsider as the common candidate at the upcoming election. Responding to a question asked by a journalist on the statement made by President Maithripala Sirisena that he would support the UNP if a new face was nominated by the party as the presidential candidate, the MP said President Sirisena should support the UNP if he has any iota of gratitude.

However, he said the President did not have any right to select the UNP presidential candidate.