Karu backed to be common candidate

Report by Indika Sri Aravinda - Colombo Gazette

Several political parties and individuals have today extended support to UNP leadership council chairman Karu Jayasuriya as the common opposition candidate at the next Presidential elections.

Sources said that the agreement was reached following talks held today with the venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha thera.

The UNP leadership has also reportedly agreed to back Jayasuriya for President at the elections expected to be held next year.

Earlier this week UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had been urged not to contest for President and to instead back a common candidate.

The request had been made in a letter signed by some political parties and groups presented to Wickremesinghe, Muslim Tamil National Alliance leader and former member of the Colombo Municipal Council Azath Salley had said this week.

He said that the UNP leader had been urged in the letter to gather the support of other political parties to back a common candidate at the next Presidential elections.

Azath Salley had said that the UNP leadership had given a positive response to the letter.(Colombo Gazette)

Report by Indika Sri Aravinda