UNP Leader uses personal funds to pay salaries of ‘Sirikotha’ staff 

The country's oldest political party, the United National Party celebrated its 74th anniversary recently in the backdrop of the party's most severe election reversal amidst its party machinery crumbling with its cash strapped head quarters 'Srikotha' on the verge of closing down.   

As the party struggles with calls for internal changes from its members, the choice of the party's next leader remains a hard one - youth or seniority - namely Ruwan Wijewardene or Karu Jayasuriya.

UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe has stepped into infuse life blood to maintain the administrative functions of UNP by providing millions of rupees out of his pocket to pay salarees of the staff

He has donated Rs. 3 million from his personal money to pay the salaries of the staff of the UNP headquarters Sirikotha in Pita Kotte.

Acting General Secretary Shamal Senarath confirmed that Wickremesinghe paid this amount to pay last month's salary on November 25.

Wickremesinghe has given this money to pay the salaries of 36 staff members working at the Sirikotha UNP headquarters.

Acting Secretary General said that Wickremesinghe has never neglected his duties for the party, irrespective of the challenging circumstances.

Several media reports stated recently that the UNP headquarters had run into bankruptcy with the party being unable to pay the salaries of the staff members attached to Sirikotha.

The party is yet to nominate a member for the single national list slot which they managed to secure at the last Parliamentary election.

Rebuilding the United National Party (UNP) has gained unprecedented impetus with the latest election defeats.

The mediations, painful at times, have nonetheless yielded a crucial discussion today, which the country will be watching with mixed feelings of hope.

Bludgeoned by a record number of election defeats on the trot, the UNP leadership finally yielded. Wickremesinghe’s view that he is willing to step aside should a competent replacement be found finally brought hope to party stalwarts who have been pushing reforms in vain.

IT also sparked fear among a faction that watched the moves of former UNPer and Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and viewed them as being vengeful and lacking in political acumen.