Moves To Remove Sajith

By Indika Sri Aravinda

There are moves to remove UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa from his post following an incident which occurred in Panadura last Thursday, UNP sources said.
According to them, the UNP Parliamentary Group will meet on Tuesday to discuss the incident and the action that needs to be taken against some UNP members. A tense situation broke out in Panadura on Thursday just as UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was winding up a speech during a demonstration against the government.
After his speech Wickremesinghe prevented people from handing over the microphone to Premadasa and this resulted in a tense situation between supporters of Wickremesinghe and Premadasa. However after Wickremesinghe left the area Premadasa and other UNP rebels gave speeches to the public.  When The Sunday Leader contacted UNP MP John Amaratunga, he said that a split in the UNP will harm any chance the party has to topple the ruling UPFA government.
He also claimed that it seemed that Premadasa was taking forward a government contract to split the UNP and such moves cannot be allowed.
“The UNP will not be able to come to power under these circumstances,” Amaratunga said.
When The Sunday Leader contacted UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa he rejected claims that he was attempting to split the party. Premadasa said that he and other UNP members who are supporting him are not going in a different direction.
Wickremesinghe had meanwhile said that he would not hesitate to expel those who condemn the party’s actions carried out against the government.
Speaking at a meeting in Badulla on Friday the Opposition Leader said that such individuals only fulfill the aspirations of the government.