News
DNF formation on hold
The formation of the Democratic National Front (DNF) under the leadership of the United National Party (UNP) scheduled for tomorrow (Aug 5) is in doubt.
The move comes as at least three constituent partners of the proposed alliance – the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), the Democratic Liberation Front and the National Union of Workers – said last night that the UNP should first pick its presidential candidate. It is only thereafter that they would get their parties’ policymaking bodies to approve joining the DNF.
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem last night concurred with this position with DLF leader Mano Ganesan and NUW leader Palani Digambaram. “We can wait until the UNP first decides on its candidate and then talk of signing the MoU for the DNF,” a spokesperson said.
The proposed alliance’s another constituent partner, Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) leader Champika Ranawaka told the Sunday Times the internal problems of the UNP should be resolved by the UNP first. “The UNP should not try to come to the alliance and resolve its problems through the alliance,” he said.
Meanwhile, All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) leader Rishad Bathiudeen said his party’s High Command would discuss the proposed DNF constitution today (August 4) and submit amendments.
The move is the fallout of the stormy meeting of the UNP Working Committee, the party’s main policymaking body, at Temple Trees on Thursday. UNP leader and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe succeeded in obtaining majority approval at this meeting for the formation of a DNF and for a new constitution for it. This was amidst strong protests that the constitution undermined the interests of the UNP.
A move to appoint the party’s next presidential candidate was deferred at the meeting.
Premier Wickremesinghe urged members who protested on some of the provisions of the proposed DNF constitution to send in their amendments by Friday evening. However, they had not been received until yesterday.
He told the Sunday Times yesterday on the telephone from Moneragala that he had asked those in his party wanting amendments to the proposed DNF constitution to discuss them with the alliance partners over the weekend and come to some finality before Monday (Aug 5).
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