Attanayake refutes Sajith's statement

United National Party General Secretary Tissa Attanayaka has accused Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa of issuing statements that are misleading the party and the country.

Attanayaka speaking at a media conference in Colombo yesterday said that he would never make public statements that contravened the party’s policies, whereas Sajith Premadasa issues statements just to appear valiant in front of media.

The United National Party is scheduled to hold a joint May Day celebration with several opposition parties including the TNA in Jaffna and the UNP reformist group is scheduled to hold a May Day celebration in conjunction with former President Ranasinghe Premadasa’s death anniversary in Colombo.

In a separate media conference Sajith Premadasa said yesterday that he did not need nor take anyone’s permission not to participate in the UNP’s  May Day celebrations scheduled to be held in Jaffna.

He asked whether he needs to take permission from anyone to hold a remembrance rally for his father who was assassinated by the Terrorists? He claimed that he was not ready to participate in a rally in Jaffna with parties that supported the same terrorists that killed his father.

Refuting Premadasa’s claims and boastings, Attanayake said that Sajith Premadasa had in fact sought permission in writing to excuse him from participating in the UNP May Day rally. Attanayaka displayed the letter to the media which has been addressed to him in his capacity as the General Secretary of the UNP, and said that Premadasa had asked to be excused from the UNP rally as he planned to attend his father’s death anniversary.

Attanayaka has also said that as Premadasa’s request had been fair, permission was granted for him not to participate in the rally.(niz)