UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake has spoken about his decision to resign from the Party’s Leadership Council, stating that some elements within its ranks were working to disrupt the unity of the party.

In a letter addressed to UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Attanayake states that he cannot continue to be in such a body which had been originally set up to preserve, and not disrupt, the unity of the party.

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Earlier it was reported that Attanayake had resigned due to ‘personal reasons.’

Attanayake was known to have clashed with UNP stalwart Ravi Karunanayake at the last Leadership Council meeting over the appointment of Sajith Premadasa as the Deputy Leader of the party.

Attanayaka was instrumental in positioning Premadasa as the Deputy Leader of the party despite strong opposition from the likes of Ravi Karunanayake and Mangala Samaraweera.

Numerous reports indicate that Sajith Premadasa will be appointed Deputy Leader of the party at the working committee today. Meanwhile, the fate of the Leadership Council also remains uncertain.