Hambanthota district UNP Parliamentarian Saith Premadasa’s decision to abolish the Leadership Council of the party has met with strong resistance from the seniors of the party, including its Colombo District Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake.

Karunanayake has said that even a supporter of the ruling party would not suggest the abolition of the Leadership Council of the party which is presently headed by Parliamentarian Karu Jayasuriya.

“Earlier, there were various viewpoints about the Leadership Council. However, after its setting up, everyone decided to work with it. Various schools of thought in the party were represented in the Leadership Council and that resulted in a sense of unity and collectivity. The Leadership Council became a negative effect on a people who wanted to divide the party,” Karunanayake said in an interview with a vernacular newspaper today.

Karunanayake has also accused Premadasa of having secret links with some top echelons of the government.

Meanwhile, UNP Sources said Parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera too had expressed displeasure over Premadasa’s name being proposed as a possible Deputy Leader for the party.

In addition to the abolition of the Leadership Council, Premadasa has requested 10 slots in the party’s Working Committee for his supporters. This proposal has also created a controversy among rank and file of the UNP as it would make a clear division among Working Committee of the party. 

The Working Committee is the key decision making body of the UNP.

However, speaking to Asian Mirror, a party spokesman said the UNP has not made any final decision on Premadasa’s proposals. He added that the abolition of the Leadership Council would be a hard decision to make ahead of a crucial election.