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.