Ranil should give up UNP leadership – Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara
Development Strategies and International Trade Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara yesterday called on Ranil Wickremesinghe to resign as Prime Minister and also to step down from UNP leadership in the light of the heavy defeat suffered by the United National Party-led NDF candidate in the Presidential election.
Addressing a media briefing at the Development Strategies and International Trade Ministry at the World Trade Centre, Colombo, yesterday, Bandara called for “an immediate change” in the UNP leadership following the electoral defeat.
He said the UNP should immediately hand over the reins of Government to the SLPP-led coalition to enable new President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to appoint his own Cabinet and implement his policies. “The Premier wants to discuss the matter with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa which makes it clear that Ranil Wickremesinghe is working according to a contract given by the rival party,” he added.
Bandara said he would resign as Bingiriya Organiser if the UNP leadership is not changed with immediate effect and has already sent a letter in this regard to UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. “I took the organizer post while the party was defeated in 2010. But now I thoroughly believe that a change should happen in the leadership – if not I would resign from my post.”
He said a newly revived UNP under a different leadership should begin a membership drive. He was. Bandara explaining the reasons for the defeat of the NDF presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa said: “We believe that the April 21st Easter Attack was a major drawback for Sajith Premadasa’s campaign. Citizens lost confidence in the government. It is not a personal dispute between the voters and Sajith Premadasa. He had to pay on behalf of the whole Government. While we were running the Government there were ministers like Vajira Abeywardana and Wijeyedasa Rajapakshe who dragged their feet from inside the party.”
He said the Millennium Challenge Cooperation (MCC) agreement was deliberately forwarded on the verge of the election to defeat Sajith Premadasa. “The MCC is not a malicious agreement, but it was brought out as an election trick to defeat our candidate.” He also pointed out that certain media institutions were biased and support was not gained for the election campaign. He added that funds received to run the election campaign were insufficient.
He also added that the Premier declaring that he will remain in his post even if Sajith Premadasa won before the postal vote was a great disadvantage for the NDF camp. Starting from the UNP leadership everyone should assist to build the party without lining one’s own pockets, he said.
(Source: Daily News – By Dinuli Francisco)
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Mr Nalin Badara apparently has a problem.
He is seeking change in leadership at a moment which requires the wise leadership of Hon Ranil W.
Mr Bandara, Mr RW resigned his PM post today while you are still clinging on to your State Minister post.
Mr Bandara, we know where you are going?
By talking rubbish, you are hoping for a Ministry in the new GR-MR Govt, aren’t you?
Of course senile Ranil should have given up leadership long time ago. This basted should be hung for ruining the country. This basted stored paddy in a newly built airport. Put him in prison and throw the key away.
Ranjith,
Ranil is a Patriot.
One day in the near future, you will eat your own words.
Ranil! Giving up the post? Ne! Ne! Ne!
He is created by the Almighty to stay in the Parliament and talk and talk and taunt about Mahinda Rajapaksha’s greed for power and to remind us MR should be leaving politics. And the rest of the UNP kukkas seems to powerless to remove him or like it very much!
He may have vacated his PM post, but this bungling, nincompoop is determined to hang on to the UNP leadership!
After all, he has some stellar performance milestones that he might want to repeat such as:
Pave way, somehow, once again for for 20+ LTTE weapon-shiploads to unload in our territorial waters while he stays intoxicated with another ‘peace’ agreement?
Ranil is very good statesman this is the time when the UNP needs ranil unlike premadasa who is licking the boots of the person who vanquished him
For a country, a democracy, to develop it needs a strong but very importantly a PATRIOTIC opposition. With Ponil, Mongreli, Penthouse-fat-cat, leading the opposition we are going to have neither and all what we will see is invitation (more like begging) from them for foreigners to interfere in our internal affairs. High time the patriotic, pragmatist, younger lot from the UNP took charge and rebuild it, and going forward prove to the public that they are worthy of consideration in future polls.