Former Sabaragamuwa Province Governor Navin Dissanayake said that the opportunity to operate the United National Party (UNP) should be granted to the second in line and if not, the party will continue collapsing further.
He also said that a minor group in the party is working according to private agendas and are of the stance that discussions should not be held with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.
Subsequent to visiting the Malwatte and Asgiriya chief prelates yesterday (29), Navin Dissanayake also mentioned the following while expressing his views to the media.
“During the 2019 Presidential Election we provided full support to Sajith Premadasa. Due to certain incidents, they separated from us and contested other elections separately. From then onwards, neither party could achieve a win. As a result, today members of the UNP have become destitute. They are facing a situation where they have nobody to tell their problems to.
We can learn certain things from the Jathika Jana Balavegaya. Then, in 1977, former President J. R. Jayewardene went from house to house raising awareness among people and launched the election campaign. The Jathika Jana Balavegaya did the same thing this time. If we are to rebuild the party we have to engage in these things. I discussed with the Chief Prelates of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters, about rebuilding the party by giving an opportunity to those second in line. If we do not do so even now, we will fall further than what we are at right now. Sajith should come back to the party and talk about the future procedures with the leader. We should be united in this journey. There is a very small group of people who are against this. They are attempting to achieve their own private agendas.
Leadership boards are not the answer to the problem. They existed even previously. An extensive reorganisation is required for the party. There is no use of applying plasters. A change that members of the party can feel, is required. According to the constitution of the party Ranil Wickremesinghe can remain for another six years. If he is in favour of some change, he can give an opportunity to a new leadership on behalf of the improvement of the party. The people brought in this Government, with huge expectations. We have to give a chance to the Government to fulfill their promises. We do not approve of granting the opportunity to hold LTTE commemorations in the North. The Government should make a clear decision regarding the commemoration of members of an illegal organisation”.