‘Organized’ attack on Sirikotha carried out by thugs: Tissa

Proper security had been requested from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for the UNP headquarters as an election was held today, however no such security was provided, says Tissa Attanayake.

If the police had looked on while a group of thugs had arrived from outside and attacked the party headquarters while the opposition leader and MPs were inside, it is a “bad example”, he said.

Property as well as the vehicles of several MPs was badly damaged due to the tense situation outside Sirikotha today, following the release of the election results and the reelecting of Ranil Wickramasinghe as UNP leader.

Attanayake claims the attack had been carried out by an “organized group of thugs”.

Such actions following a free and fare election held without any complaints and with complete transparency is highly unacceptable, the General Secretary stated.

He further pointed out that a proper inquiry will be conducted on today’s incident and that those responsible will be punished regardless of their status as such “thuggery” damages the democracy of the party.

Ranil Wickramasinghe was reelected as the leader of the United National Party in the election held today. Ranil Wickramasinghe, who received 68 votes, defeated Karu Jayasuriya by a majority of 42 votes.

Karu Jayasuriya had received only 26 out of the total 94 votes casted today.

Sajith Premadasa was elected as Deputy Leader of the UNP defeating Ravi Karunanayake with a majority of 8 votes. Sajith received 50 votes while Ravi had secured 42 votes.

Daya Gamage was elected as the National Organizer of the UNP, defeating Dayasiri Jayasekara by 56:36 votes in the election.

Therefore Ranil Wickramasinghe will continue as party leader as well as opposition leader in the year 2012, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said.