United Bikkhun Front, a Bikkhu organization affiliated with the UNP, has accused UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake of trying to destroy the UNP in collusion with owners of certain media organiozations. In doing this, Attanayake is helping the government’s agenda, it further says.

The leader of the Bikkhu Front Girambe Ananda thera has told BBC Sandeshaya that he made these allegations against the General Secretary at a meeting with National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Attanayake himself were present when the matter came up. "Following the meeting, Attanayake suddenly decided to resign from the Leadership Council of the party, " Ananda Thera has further stated.

Ananda Thera has further stated that the government is extremely interested in seeing Sajith Premadasa as the UNP deputy Leader . While he is not opposed to the appointment of Premadasa as the Deputy Leader, Ananda Thera has condemned any move to abolish the Leadership Council of the party, headed by Parliamentarian Karu Jayasuriya.

“UNP, as a party, benefitted from the Council to a great extent” he said. The Bikkhu Front was instrumental in creating the Leadership Council in the first place.

Meanwhile Attanayake has flatly rejected the allegations made by Ananda Thera saying that certain people within the Leadership Council did not want his exercise of “bringing Ranil, Sajith and Karu to the same stage” to come to fruition. Therefore, Attanayake said, he decided to resign from the Council.

Attanayake also rejects the accusations of him conspiring with media stations, saying that the fact that he was in communication with Tiran Alles and Sirasa Media Network with the objective of bringing UNP to a winning path was no secret.