A group of UNP Parliamentarians have now embarked on a mission to name Sajith Premadasa as the UNP Prime Ministerial candidate at the next General Election. 

The UNP has already announced that its National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe would be the Presidential Candidate of the party. 

They are contemplating the move due to the fear that UNP Leadership Council Chairman Karu Jayasuriya's name would gain ground as the common  candidate of the opposition at the next Presidential election. The JVP has already stated that they cannot accept Wickremesinghe as the 'common candidate' of the opposition. The announcement will make Preamadasa, Wickremesinghe's running's mate! 

As part of the plan, the group is now attempting to negotiate a fresh deal between Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Hambanthota District Parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa. They are of the view that Karu Jayasuriya would be sidelined if and when the party announces Premadasa as its Prime Ministerial candidate. 

This in other words means that Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sajith Premadasa - who remained arch-enemies since 2010 - will soon be in the same camp. 

According to political sources of the opposition, a businessman turned Parliamentarian who has close links to the government while 'officially' being in the opposition (not in the UNP) is also behind this move.