UNP Seniors to Boycott UNP May Day Rally Today

A large number of senior United National Party members have unanimously decided to boycott the Party’s May Day celebrations scheduled to be held at the Sugathadasa Stadium, from 9 a.m. today (6).

The groups which have decided to boycott the Party’s May Day celebrations comprise Deputy Ministers, State Ministers, Parliament backbenchers, Provincial Councillors and the newly, elected Local Government Members, a senior State Minister said.

He said that such a drastic decision had been taken yesterday, on the eve of the Party’s May Day celebrations, due to Prime Minister and Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe reneging on his promises at the just-concluded Party reforms.

The State Minister explained that all the members were utterly disappointed that the UNP Leader had broken his promise of holding an election to pick the office bearers.
“The decision was taken last morning at the meeting of the UNP backbenchers and State Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Provincial Council Members and the newly elected Local Government Councillors.

He also explained that this Group had also decided that they will not henceforth support Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe either in Parliament or outside it even at Party level.”  He also said that none of the members who have decided to boycott the May Day rally, will also comply with a request of the Party hierarchy to usher in around 300 Party stalwarts and supporters from each of their electorates to the May Day rally either.

“We are not insane enough to do that after the Prime Minister let us down badly,” the State Minister remarked.