Sajith rejects media reports

UNP Rebel Group leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday pooh-poohed newspaper reports that he has agreed to share the Deputy leadership of the party with Ravi Karunanayake.A visibly angry Premadasa said: “Some newspapers and web sites are carrying lies! I have not agreed to accept a Deputy Leadership. As far as I know there is no move to make Ravi Karunanayake a Co-Deputy leader either.”
He said that it is correct to say that he met party Ranil Wickremesinghe on Tuesday and Wednesday.” But I did not agree to accept a Co-Deputy Leadership or any other proposal for that matter.”Talks between him and the party leader revolved around an action plan for democratisation of the party. “Democratisation of the party is the main topic I am interested in. I insisted that the voting right at the election of office bearers of the party be extended to our party members of PCs and local authorities as well as our party organizers at electorate level
Asked whether he discussed any other vital matters, Premadasa said: “Of course, we did. For instance, I emphasized the need to work out `an election winning formula’.”UNP leader Wickremesinghe and Sajith Premadasa had a one-on-one meeting at Sirikotha party headquarters on Tuesday as a sequel to a decision taken by the party’s last Working Committee meeting that they should make a bid to sort out their differences at a one-on-one meeting. Their talks lasted for about 40 minutes and later they agreed to hold extended talks with the participation of Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya and General Secretary Tissa Attanayake who were present at Sirikotha at the time.
Sajith arrived at Sirikotha the following day too for another round of one-on-one talks with Ranil Wickremesinghe. But he was surprised to find that the UNP had come for the talks along with Karu Jayasuriya, Tissa Attanayake, Gamini Jayawickrama Perera and Ravi Karunanayake. When Sajith Premadasa had reminded the party seniors Tissa, Karu and Gamini Jayawickrama that the Working Committee decision was for him to have talks with the party leader alone, the former had quietly withdrawn from the room. Ravi Karunanayake who lingered there briefly too had later walked out, Sirikotha sources said.Sajith Premadasa and UNP leader Wickremesinghe are due to meet today again for another round of talks aimed at building a better understanding between them.Colombo District UNP parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake who himself is a leadership contender contacted in this regard said that as the party was in a critical juncture he did not wish to make any public comment.(News-The Nation)