Eksath Bhikku Peramuna, affiliated to the UNP has warned that it will withdraw support for the party at the upcoming presidential election unless UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya is declared the presidential candidate.

Ven. Girambe Ananda Thera has, in a letter to UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, insisted that it is the UNP prerogative to name the presidential candidate in accordance with the campaign spearheaded by Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, convenor of the Movement for Just Society.

Ven. Ananda has stressed that former Deputy Leader of the UNP is the only one suitable in the party to be the Opposition common candidate.

Earlier, Wickremesinghe suggested that twice-President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga be the Opposition candidate unless all parties and groups accepted his candidature.

The JVP, too, has indicated to Wickremesinghe that it favours Mrs. Kumaratunga, though Jayasuriya has the support of those spearheading the Opposition campaign.

The UNP Bhikku front intervened in the wake of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on constitutional reforms Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva meeting Ven. Sobitha at the residence of the late R.I.T. Alles, the father of Democratic National Alliance (DNA) MP Tiran Alles. Political sources said that President Rajapaksa had assured Ven. Sobitha that constitutional amendments would be made after the conclusion of the presidential election.

Sources said that the Opposition campaign was on track in spite of the UPFA’s efforts to interfere.

Courtesy:The Island