Ranil imposes conditions to allow Sajith's presidential candidature

United National Party (UNP) leader Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that he would nominate Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa as the party's presidential candidate on the condition that he agrees to abolish the Executive Presidency, UNP sources said.

According to the source, this condition had been imposed during a meeting between seniors of the UNP yesterday (Sept 24).

During the meeting, Mr. Wickremesinghe had told Minister Premadasa to hand over in writing to all parties constituting the UNP-led United National Front (UNF) alliance, pledging to abolish the Executive Presidency.

The UNP leader had stated that this matter would be taken up at tomorrow's meeting of the party's Working Committee which is expected to select the presidential candidate.

Minister Premadasa, this month, told a news conference that there has been no "scientific survey" to support claims that the people have demanded that the Executive Presidency be abolished.

The abolition of the Executive Presidency had been one of key promises made by the UNF government during the run-up to the presidential elections in 2015.

(Reporting by Damith Wickramasekara)