UNP leader to be elected by secret ballot

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 May 2010, 16:55 GMT]
The leader of the main opposition United National Party is be elected by secret ballot, according to a unanimous decision taken by the party’s working committee held last week. All office bearers will be elected and not on selection, party sources said.

The majority of the rank and file of the party has been demanding a change in the leadership. The party is now headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The committee appointed by the UNP working Committee with Joseph Michael Perera as its chairman has been examining the proposed changes to the UNP constitution and reorganization of the party has received fifteen proposals till Friday. This committee is meeting daily since May 5 and is expected to finalize its report on May 10 and the next working committee meeting is scheduled to be held on May 14.

The proposals being examined include amendments to the constitution, holding of elections to elect all party office bearers, the composition of the Working Committee, creation of new positions, scrapping of certain existing posts and overall reorganization of the party.