United National Party Leadership Council Chairman Tissa Attanayake has said that the UNP will respond to the open invitation presented by the Bodu Bala Sena  to embrace their set of principles before the upcoming presidential election. The hardcore Buddhist organization said that they would extend their support to any party that was willing to accept the principals adopted by the BBS convention.

Speaking to BBC Sandeshaya Tissa Attanayake said that the United National Party (UNP) will first consider and evaluate the BBS principles before jumping into a conclusion.

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"Our main objective is to make a collective effort with all the parties to create a strong opposition against the government party. The next could be a presidential election or a general election, but what we aim is to bring all the opposition forces into one stage and create a solid foundation", Attanayake said.

Therefore, Attanayake said, the UNP will definitely consider the BBS's offer in order to strengthen their chances in the upcoming elections. The BBS guaranteed a vote base of 5 million for any party that was willing to accept BBS principles.

The BBS also pledged to field their own candidate at the next Presidential polls if the mainstream political parties failed to respond to their call. BBS general Secretary added that no one would be willing to form a government in the country in the future, without the consent of the Bodu Bala Sena organization. 

However, many front-line members of the United National Party has been critical of the BBS organization since its inception, dubbing it as an extremist organization that disrupts communal harmony in Sri Lanka.