UNP prepares for early presidential election –Common candidate Karu?

All UNP electoral organisers have been summoned to Sirikotha on April 22 at 2.00pm for a meeting in preparation for an early presidential election, it is reported.

It is believed that the issues pertaining to party organising as well as the common candidate would be discussed at this meeting.

According to internal sources, the dispute between the two party deputy leaders is also expected to be discussed at this meeting.

Meanwhile, the Ravaya newspaper had reported that if Speaker Karu Jayasuriya is selected as the common candidate to contest the presidency from the UNF, the required slogans etc to be used on the political platforms have already been planned by the civil organisations taking the lead in this matter.

It is also said that a slogan for the abolition of the Executive Presidency as proposed by the JVP through the 20th Amendment is also to be used during the election campaigning.

It has also been decided to allocate an additional 6-8 ministerial posts for the Hela Urumaya who are against the abolition of the Executive Presidency on the grounds that it would destabilise the country and a proposal has also been submitted for the presidency to still be given the power to dissolve the provincial councils, without taking away all the powers of the executive.

A proposal has also been submitted that Karu Jayasuriya should resign from the UNP if he is to contest as the common candidate as he would have to contest under a common logo.