Sri Lanka's major opposition to come to agreement on party positions

The committee of the seniors of Sri Lanka's major opposition United National Party (UNP) have decided to propose the party leadership to come to a consensus regarding appointing the party hierarchy under the constitutional amendments recently proposed.

Under the reforms, elections can be held for the major posts of the party. However, the party seniors say that competition will create splits in the party and consensus is the solution for it.

The UNP senior's committee is to submit this proposal to the party executive committee that is to meet on January 13.

The party members say they have discussed the issue with the party leader Ranil Wickremasinghe and the Assistant Secretary Sajith Premadasa extensively. Premadasa is widely considered a contender to the leadership of the UNP.

Present leadership under Ranil Wickremasinghe has come under severe criticism from party members after his party's continual loss of successive elections.