Karu Jayasuriya appointed chairman of UNP executive committee

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 January 2006, 17:40 GMT]
Mr.Karu Jayasuriya has been appointed Chairman of the Executive Committee of the United National Party (UNP) in addition to his Deputy Leadership post. This decision was unanimously taken at a meeting of the United National Party parliamentary group held in the Parliamentary complex Monday morning. The new post was created as a compromise to end the rift between two factions in the party over its defeat in the last presidential election held on November 17 last year, party sources said.

Meanwhile, Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe will remain as the President of the Party and the leader of the opposition. UNP is the main opposition party in the current parliament, sources said.

Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe presided over the meeting.

A section of the UNP parliamentarians demanded that Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe should step down from the post of leader taking responsibility for the presidential election defeat and to hand over it to Mr.Karu Jayasuriya.

An opposing section wanted Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe to continue as party president and opposition leader in the parliament, sources said.

Under the new reforms of the party, Mr.Karu Jayasuriya has been given executive powers to take political decisions to revamp the party to face future elections and carry on party's political agenda, Mr.Tissa Attanayake, UNP Assistant General Secretary told media persons after the group meeting.