Ranil Wickremesinghe's 25-year-old history of losing and killing the UNP

Colombo (News 1st) - General Secretary of the United National Party Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam spoke about the letter signed by 55 UNP MPs requesting the UNP Parliamentary Group and the Working Committee to be convened and come to a consensus on the Presidential Candidate of the UNP. In response to a question raised by the journalists regarding the leader's acceptance of the letter signed by 1/3 of the Parliamentary Group, General Secretary of UNP Akila Viraj Kariyawasam stated that he has already accepted it. He highlighted that the Prime Minister is well aware of the constitution despite the media of attempts to portray a different picture. He further mentioned that Ranil Wickremesinghe is a democratic leader and does not put on magic displays. Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam did not place his signature on the letter that was signed by 1/3 of the UNP Parliamentary Group. Other UNP Parliamentarians who did not sign this letter includes, Lakshman Kiriella, Palitha Range Bandara, J.C. Alawathuwala, Navin Dissanayake, John Amaratunge, Daya Gamage, Gamini Jayawickrama, Ravi Karunanayake, Ajith Mannapperuma, Tilak Marapana, Sisira Kumara, Vadivel Suresh, D. M. Swaminathan,Vajira Abeywardena, Vijayakala Maheswaran, Jayampathy Wickramaratne, Lakshman Wijemanna, Ruwan Wijewardene, Sarath Fonseka and M.S Thowfeek. Majority of the MPs who did not place their signatures on the letter are MPs who joined the UNP from other parties and the majority of them have been alleged before the law. Allegations such as printing faces on school textbooks, the Suraksha Insurance scam, a voucher for school uniforms were levelled against Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam during his tenure as the Minister of Education. Lakshman Kiriella joined the UNP from Chandrika Bandaranaike's Government. Through such acts, it is clear about the stance of the 79-year-old, Minister John Amaratunge on the party getting into the hands of the youth. A court case has been filed against Minister Palitha Range Bandara for misusing a vehicle license. Many allegations have been levelled against Minister Daya Gamage who had connections with the Rajapaksa regime about misusing the Samurdhi fund. The Bond Scam, Floating Power Plants and purchasing power from private entities are just a few allegations levelled against Minister Ravi Karunanayake. Thilak Marapana who once resigned due to Avante Garde transactions and came back to the Parliament has not signed this letter either. Vadivel Suresh is renowned for switching parties. Vajira Abeywardena has been accused of providing protection to wrongdoers during the previous Government and accused by various parties of the Avante Guard transactions. It is no secret that Jayampathi Wikcremaratne who came to the UNP through the National List from an external Party had a hand in jeopardizing the amendment of the 19th Constitution. Even Sarath Fonseka who contested the Presidential Election through UNP votes, who criticized the UNP while forming other parties and now back in the UNP has not signed this letter. This is Ranil Wickremesinghe's 25th year as the Leader of the United National Party. 25 YEARS AS THE LEADER OF THE UNP! Under his leadership, during this time period, the UNP had lost close to 30 elections. 30 ELECTIONS LOST! Whenever the Party Members challenged this leadership that brought the party down Ranil Wickremesinghe always attempted to evade it. VARIOUS TACTICS TO HOLD ON TO THE LEADERSHIP! When the party suffered a severe blow after Chandrika Kumaranatunge took over 3 ministries under her purview, the party members emphasized the fact that Ranil Wickremesinghe should stand strong and display the strength of the party by taking these portfolios back. However, Ranil Wickremesinghe continued to demolish the party and weakened the UNP government at the time through the appointment of the committee headed by the Mano Titawela and Malik Samarawickrama, to a point where the party entirely lost their governing power. GOVERNMENT WEAKENED! A change in the party leadership was a constant demand of the party supporters and members in the face of these countless election defeats. A CHANGE IN PARTY LEADERSHIP! Party members surrounded Sirikotha on the 19th of December in 2011 demanding a change in the party leadership. SIIRIKOTHA SURROUNDED! As usual, Ranil Wickremesinghe ignored these demands hid behind the various committees appointed for reforming the party and also appointed a disciplinary committee to punish party members. DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE TO PUNISH PARTY MEMBERS! Ranil Wickremesinghe finally got rid of the party members gathering opposite Sirikotha by constructing the road opposite the premises through Mahinda Rajapaksa's "Maga-Neguma" Project. AIDED BY MAHINDA R.! In 2013 when the party was in a dire state, party members demanded a change yet again. But it once again fell on deaf ears and Ranil Wickremesinghe did not hesitate to appoint another committee in the guise of a Leadership Council. LEADERSHIP COUNCIL APPOINTED IN 2013! The fact that even the members of that committee to date do not know the findings of the committee appointed 6 years ago is amusing, to say the least. Not even the members of the Council have the faintest idea as to what happened to the Council. 2013 LEADERSHIP COUNCIL - A POLITICAL MYSTERY! With the humiliating defeat at the last Local Government Polls, the party members yet again voiced their opposition against Ranil Wickremesinghe and demanded him to step down so that the Party can embark on a winning journey. The leadership of Ranil Wickremesinghe was a pivotal reason behind the humiliating defeat of a long-standing party such as the UNP at the hands of the Podujana Peramuna that was formed less than a year before that election. 2018 LOCAL GOVERNMENT POLLS - HUMILIATING DEFEAT When backbench MPs visited Temple Trees and urged Ranil Wickremesinghe to step down again Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe resorted to cover behind another committee. BACK BENCHERS DEMAND FOR CHANGE The backbench MPs were promised that the recommendations of the Ruwan Wijewardena committee which was subsequently appointed will be implemented. But history continued to repeat itself as the recommendations of the Ruwan WIjeyawardena committee was also not implemented. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE HEADED BY RUWAN WIJEWARDENA - A MYSTERY! We are now at the crossroads of another decisive stage. The final request of the party members is for a presidential candidate of the UNP to be announced so that a candidate from the UNP, which is the oldest and the largest political party of Sri Lanka can take the office of President at this election. However, Ranil Wickremesinghe again resorted to his age-old tactics by attempting to form an alliance and appoint a leadership council. A DECISIVE MOMENT! Against such a backdrop 1/3 of the UNP parliamentary group signed a letter demanding the party leadership to convene the decision making bodies of the party to make a decision on the Presidential candidate. Will UNP party supporters allow Ranil Wickremesinghe to destroy the hopes of a new Presidential Candidate from the UNP and continue to remain as the head of the party? What would happen to the expectations of the UNP?