Lilantha challenges Ranil over co-organiser issue
COLOMBO: The decision by UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to
appoint two electoral organisers for Colombo North has caused much
disappointment and heartburn among the supporters, said K. B. Lilantha
Perera who had nursed the electorate for many years.
Speaking to the Daily News Perera said a question mark looms over the
decision of the Party leadership to appoint two organisers for Colombo
North where the Party was always victorious while settling for a single
organiser in other electorates such as Kaduwela and Kesbewa where the
Party took heavy beatings.
He said his immediate reaction was step down but opted to remain due
to pleas of party supporters.
“Whatever the Leader may say it is apparent that he has listened to
tales spun by certain vested interests who are out for revenge. If not
there is no reasons that I can see why he has allowed the status quo to
remain in the electorates such as Borella, Kottawa, Kaduwela, Kolonnawa
and Dehiwela while appointing co-organisers only for the Colombo North
electorate where the party always won with big majorities,” Perera said.
He said the Leader summoned him at various times and provided various
explanations to justify his action. In the end, he said it was due to
the Party receiving 10,000 votes less at the last elections.
“When I countered this by saying he (leader) himself lost around
100,000 votes in Colombo Central, he remained speechless,” the former
Parliamentarian said.
He said if the same yardstick was applied then Maharoof, Moragoda,
Sunethra Ranasinghe, Karunasena Kodithuwakku who too received less votes
should have co-organisers. But this was not the case.
Recalling his political antecedents, Perera said they were of a
political family. His father whom he succeeded as Colombo North
Organiser was a protege of V. A. Sugathadasa and Vincent Perera.
His father and sister was killed in the bomb blast that claimed the
lives of Gamini Dissanayake. He was twice elected to the Colombo
Municipal Council and was a Provincial Councillor and subsequently was
elected a Member of Parliament.
Besides, when a conspiracy was being hatched to oust Ranil
Wickremesinghe from the leadership, it was he who stalled the move by
blocking the telephone calls.
Is this the way gratitude is repaid, he asked.
He said he would never leave the party despite pleading from the
family to quit politics and look after his business interests.
“I am not a bankrupt politician. I also know those who are bankrupt.
I am not one of those who act on the tales elements who harbour grudges.
My voters are my strength. Due to their urging I have decided to
accept the co-organisership and work treating this as a challenge,”
Perera said. |