Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa are expected to meet shortly to decide as to who would lead the proposed UNP and SJB alliance, UNP Deputy General Secretary Harin Fernando said yesterday.
Responding to questions raised by the media, Fernando said Wickremesinghe is likely to play an advisory role. “He had told the Buddhist clergy that he is out of active politics. Accordingly, that would be the case” Fernando said.
He said the UNP has proposed setting up a joint working committee. “We have put forward some proposals and the ball is now on SJB’s court,” he said.
Furthermore, he said a leadership board may be appointed to run the UNP.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa confirmed that he had a successful round of discussions with UNPers over the weekend.
“Today the SJB and the UNP held another round of successful discussions, which I am hopeful will result in a victorious conclusion. SJB General Secretary Ranjith Maddumabandara, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene, General Secretary Thalatha Athukorale, Vice Chairman Navin Dissanayake, Assistant Leader Akila Kariyawasam, and Sagala Ratnayaka participated in the discussions,” Premadasa said in his X message.