Minister Harin Fernando said that a group of United National Party (UNP) members backing the presidential candidacy of Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa objected towards abolishing the Executive Presidency.
Taking to his Twitter handle, Mr. Fernando stated that the group had informed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe of this opinion.
"...any move on this (abolishing executive presidency) should happen after the Presidential Election," the tweet read adding that moves to engage in such an abolition after the presidential elections have been announced is "not correct".
The abolition of the executive presidency had been one of the key promises made by the UNP-led United National Front (UNF) alliance during the run-up to the presidential elections in 2015.
We have objected to any move to abolish the Executive Presidency. Group led by Sajith Premadasa informed PM that at the pre cabinet that any move on this should happen after the Presidential Election. After a president election being called abolishing of it is not correct
— Harin Fernando (@fernandoharin) September 19, 2019
Addressing a press conference this week, Minister Premadasa who is vying to become a presidential candidate, said that he had not seen any "scientific survey" which stressed that the presidency must be abolished.
Meanwhile, Mr. Fernando, in another tweet, said that UNF leaders including Ministers Patali Champika Ranawaka, Mano Ganesan, Rauff Hakeem, and Rishad Bathiudeen have expressed willingness to support the candidacy of Minister Premadasa.
Ministers Patali, Mano Ganeshan, Digambaram, Rishad, & Rauff Hakeem confirmed to the UNP Parliamentary group that they will support Sajith Premadasa as the UNP Presidential candidate
— Harin Fernando (@fernandoharin) September 19, 2019
UNP leader Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe too has expressed his intention of contesting at the polls, while Speaker Karu Jayasuriya recently stated that he would be willing to contest as the UNF's candidate if he receives the backing of political parties to abolish the Executive Presidency.
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