UPDATE: Ranil’s powers transferred to leadership council, Sajith rejects

The powers vested in the party leader have been transferred to the leadership council and its Chairman MP Karu Jayasuriya by the UNP’s working committee while Ranil Wickramasinghe has been appointed as the ‘National Leader’ of Sri Lanka’s main opposition party.

The United National Party (UNP) Working Committee approves the establishing of the leadership council and the appointment of Karu Jayasuriya as its Chairman, the Opposition Leader said. 

It has been reported that the decision was taken during the working committee meeting held this afternoon. Nine members have been appointed to the council, chaired by Mr Jayasuriya.

MPs Tissa Attanayake, Mangala Samaraweera, Sajith Premadasa, Ravi Karunanayake, Ruwan Wijewardena, Thalatha Athukorala, Lakshman Kiriella and Kabeer Hashim were nominated to the council by the working committee today.

However, MP Sajith Premadasa told Ada Derana that he has refused to accept the nomination of his name to the leadership council, over several shortcomings in appointing its members. 

Ranil Wickramasinghe, Karu Jayasuriya and Sajith Premadasa held discussions earlier today to reach a final decision regarding the new council.

The reorganization of the party comes following a set of proposals put forward by the National Bhikku Front, to resolve disputes within the UNP and achieve victory in future elections.