Ranil Wickremesinghe | Leader of the United National Party and the Opposition

UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has urged UNPers to ensure Opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena’s victory at the forthcoming presidential election so as to form a UNP government before Sinhala New Year next year.

Wickremesinghe called for the abolition of the executive presidency to save the country from what he called the dictatorial Rajapaksa regime. The UNP leader was addressing Galigamuwa UNP Balamandalaya yesterday in support of Sirisena.

Maithripala Sirisena has assured the UNP that Wickremesinghe will be made the executive Premier no sooner he assumed the presidency.

Wickremesinghe emphasised the responsibility on the part of all members of the UNP to exercise their franchise in support of Sirisena.

At the last presidential election in January 2010, the UNP threw its weight behind former army commander General Sarath Fonseka, who polled 4,173,185 votes (40.15 %).Wickremesinghe explained the circumstances under which the UNP had sacrificed its right to field a candidate of its own to enable the former SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena take on incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Opposition Leader said that people should rally around Maithripala Sirisena to create a new political culture.

Courtesy:The Island