UNP Chairman Kabir Hashim said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe would make any sacrifice to ensure the victory of the party at the next Presidential election.

Speaking at an event in the Anuradhapura district, Hashim said the UNP's candidate would be the preferred candidate of the majority of Sri Lanka.

Hashim also added the UNP's candidate would be a person who understands the pain and suffering of the common man.

Hashim, a former Wickremesinghe loyalist, has now projected himself as a backer of Minister Sajith Premadasa who is vying for the party's presidential candidacy.

"Our candidate will not be selected by a kitchen Cabinet. Yes, there is a dialogue within the UNP on who the Presidential candidate should be. It is a healthy and cordial dialogue that demonstrates the internal democracy of our party," he said, adding that they would never cause a split in the UNP.