Prasanna To Parliament: Gammanpila To Become Chief Minister After Election

December 15, 2014

Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has said that he is ready to offer his Chief Ministerial position to former JHU Deputy General Secretary and  Western Provincial Councilor Udaya Gammanpila if he wishes to become the CM.

Ranatunga, who has held the office three times, has stated that the future of the party is more important to him than the Chief Ministerial position. The Chief Minister told reporters that he had already informed Gammanpila of his decision.

It is reliably learnt that there is a move to appoint Ranatunga as a National List Parliamentarian of the UPFA after the election , making way for Gammanpila to become the Chief Minister of the Western Provinc. Ruling party sources told Asian Mirror Ranatunga is likely to get a ministerial portfolio.

Asian Mirror, soon after Gammanpila defection, revealed that his crossover is aimed at getting the Chief Minister post of the Western province. When Western Provincial Councilor Hirunika Premachandra joined the common opposition, it was widely rumoured among political sources that she was promised the CM post of the Provincial Council. We revealed that Hirunika Premeachandra’s presence in the common opposition was a major reason for Gammanpila’s exit.

“ He knew that his next step would be the CM post of the  Provincial Council and Hirunika was the biggest obstacle standing in his way. The President, at a critical juncture, cashed in on Gammanpila’s concern,” a senior spokesman of the government told Asian Mirror on Thursday evening, just hours after Gammanpila’s crossover. 

However, Gammanpila has strictly denied the claim that he re-joined the government with the hope of becoming the Chief Minister of the province.