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by Jayantha Sri Nissanka

The puzzle over the Opposition Leader Ratnasiri Wickremenayake's resignation letter to Speaker Joseph Michael Perera was not resolved till yesterday.

The Speaker told the 'Daily News yesterday that "verifying the resignation letter of Opposition Leader Ratnasiri Wickremanayake is impossible because he is inaccessible. I believe he is out of the country," he said.

The fax was a signed resignation letter written on a normal sheet of A4 paper. It has also not been sealed by him, he added.

According to sources in the Speaker's office, Chathura Wickremenayake, son of Ratnasiri, had inquired whether the Speaker's office had received the resignation letter. However, the following day the Speaker's office had received a fax of the resignation letter of Mr. Wickremenayake.

"But there is no indication of the number of the fax machine, local or foreign, which originated this fax. However, the handwriting and the signature are similar to those of Mr. Wickremenayake," he said.

According to political sources, the resignation letter had been sent to the Opposition Leader's office in order to forward it to the Speaker. Instead of handing the letter over to the Speaker, it has been taken to the President's House, sources added.

When the 'Daily News' contacted Vidura Wickremenayake about his father's apparent resignation, he denied it vehemently. "He will not take an irrational decision at this time since it will divide the party," he said.

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