As the tussle for Presidential candidacy heats up in the UNP, party Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa told the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatte chapter that he would not take his step back.

However, he told the Mahanayake Thera said selecting the party's Presidential candidate was not his duty.

"The Working Committee and other decision-making bodies of the party are tasked to do that job," Premadasa said.

The UNP Deputy Leader added that he would not use Buddhism or the Buddha Sasana as a "bridge" to reach his political goals.

"I am not driven by elections. What is on my mind is the need to constructs over 1000 dagobas in the country and nothing else," Pramadasa added.