UNP to hold postmortem on presidential poll defeat

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 November 2005, 17:20 GMT]
The working committee and parliamentary group of the main opposition United national Party (UNP) are to meet this week to decide its future course of action following the defeat at the presidential poll held on Thursday, Mr.Tissa Attanayake, UNP Assistant General Secretary said at a press briefing Sunday.

A decision is likely to be taken at these meetings whether to challenge the presidential election in the Supreme Court by filing a petition against the determination of the Commissioner of Election rejecting the party request for a re-poll in north and east, Mr.Attanayake said.

He added that reasons for the unexpected defeat of the UNP presidential candidate will be discussed in both meetings.

Speculation is rife in political circles that Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe is likely to step down from the post of leader of the UNP and to resign from the parliament.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse Sunday paid homage to Buddhist prelates in Kandy as his first act outside Colombo after assuming power Saturday.

Malwatte Mahanayake Thera and Asgiriya Mahanayake Thera blessed the new President. His Secretary Mr.Lalith Weeratunge, and Mr.D.M.Jayaratne, Peoples Alliance Secretary accompanied him, the Diayawadene Nilame received him at the entrance of the Dalada Maligawa.

Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge, former president at a function in Colombo said she will be more involved in social service activities in the future.