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25 UNP dissident MPs want new leader
By Santhush Fernando
The United National Party (UNP) dissident group is to forward a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe requesting him to conform to earlier promised party reforms. The MoU already signed by some 25 UNP MPs lobbying for reforms will be presented to him this week, The Sunday Times learns.

Those spearheading the dissident group are former Tourism Minister, Kesbewa MP and JSS trade unionist Gamini Lokuge, former Lands Minister and Ex-BNP member Rajitha Senaratne, former Fisheries Minister Mahinda Wijesekara, former Industries Minister G.L. Peiris, former Speaker M.H. Mohamed, former Power and Energy Minister P. Dayaratne, Mano Wijeratne, Dharmadasa Banda, Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Neomal Perera and Susantha Punchinilame.
It is understood that former Consumer Affairs Minister Ravi Karunanayake was not a member of this group.

The MoU will propose that Ranil Wickremesinghe continue to hold the leadership of the United National Front (UNF) while Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya will be appointed as both the Leader of the UNP and Opposition Leader. Some of the dissident group members are also advocating a National Government.

It further proposes that party posts -- chairman and general secretary, that are presently held by non-MPs -- be handed over to active politicians and that the UNP Working Committee also be restricted to active politicians.
On Thursday, Malik Samarawickrama, the UNP Chairman met the two factions, those supporting the incumbent party leader, and those opposed to him. Assistant Secretary Tissa Attanayake, Kabir Hasheem and Joseph Michael Perera represented the Wickremesinghe faction, while Gamini Lokuge led the dissident group to sort out differences.

The group had also requested the Opposition Leader to convene the Parliamentary Group Meeting before the presentation of the revised 2006 Budget on December 8. The group had not met after the presidential election.
The UNP Working Committee met last Monday but did not take up the issue of party reforms in accordance with an understanding reached between the two factions. Even a condemnation of UNP Colombo East organiser Milinda Moragoda by a Tamil businessman for aggravating a bad situation in the north and east through an interview was ruled out-of-order as Mr. Moragoda was abroad.

The party, however, agreed that it would proceed with an election petition taking up the twin issues of the disenfranchisement of the northern Tamil voters due to the boycott instigated by the LTTE as well as the non-registration of voters. Meanwhile due to the internal rifts, the party convention has been postponed to February next year.

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