UNP Leadership Council Chairman Karu Jayasuriya today denied allegations that he had betrayed party members.

“People are at liberty to hold their own opinions on this appointment. The Chairmanship of the Council was given to me like all the previous posts. I did not ask for it,” he told a news conference today.

He said if he wanted to betray the party he would not have contested Mr. Wickremesinghe to the party leadership.

The Leadership Council members said the council has been granted powers over 19 party matters including that of appointing members to the UNP working committee.

Leadership council member and General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said that members to the next Working Committee would be appointed by the Leadership Council.

He said UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe would be appointed the party’s National Leader and would continue to function as the Opposition Leader.

“He will be in charge of parliamentary affairs and have the power to negotiate with other political parties as well,” Mr. Attanayake said.

He said UNP front-liner Sajith Premadasa, who refused to be a member of the Council, would be brought back through negotiations. (YP & LSP)

Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)