Secret ballot to decide UNP Leader

Suraj A. Bandara

The UNP Reforms Committee led by Joseph Michael Perera MP handed over its final report to the party at the Party Headquarters Sirikotha yesterday. All UNP Working Committee and Parliamentary Group members participated. Key changes are likely to take place in the party through this final report.

All decisions of the report will be confirmed through a special convention in July. There will be a secret ballot to select the most suitable person to lead the party, UNP spokesman Gayantha Karunathilaka MP told the Daily News..

If there is no challenge to the leader, there won’t be a ballot, he said.

Party leader, Deputy leader, Assistant leader, National Organizer and party Chairman will be elected through a secret ballot if anybody challenges the posts. If no objections are made, the party will decide on positions to be filled, he said.

Karunathilaka said these decisions are not effective yet since there are possible amendments to this final report.

The Working Committee and Parliamentary Group will meet to discuss changes in the first week after the Vesak festival.

All members can submit their proposals to the party till the special convention in July. Proposals are also welcome, the MP said.

He said Working Committee members will be increased to 79 letting at least one Parliamentary representative for each district.

The party’s deputy leader will be responsible for all political matters. There will be a Political Affairs Committee led by the deputy leader. The party is ready to introduce a new system to elect all levels of organizers. Even the party leader cannot appoint organizers according to his personal choice.

Karunathilaka said all these proposals are still under discussion. There are significant changes in the offing.

All these proposals will be effective after the confirmation by the special July Convention.