UNP Colombo District Parliamentarian Ravi karunanayake today stated that the party has not made any final decision on its presidential candidate.

He made this revelation in a context where multiple media reports have confirmed that the UNP is to field its National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as its candidate at the forthcoming presidential election.

Spokespersons of the government have already stated that the presidential election will take place in January - two years before the end of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second term in office.

When asked about Wickremesinghe’s candidacy, Karunanayake said the matter still hangs in the balance despite various media reports. “The party is still holding discussions on the UNP presidential candidate. Various viewpoints have been presented on the same matter and no final decision has been taken so far. “he added.

“We are ready for any election, be it presidential or Parliamentary. The results of the Uva Provincial Council election clearly demonstrate that the UNP is capable of winning any election. So we are not afraid of any development,” Karunanayake told ‘Asian Mirror’ this morning.

Karunanayake was made the Assistant Leader of the party at the recently held Working Committee meeting which elevated Sajith Premadasa to the post of Deputy Leader of the UNP.

Meanwhile, speaking to media, UNP Matara District Candidate Mangala Samaraweera said the party should not confine itself to colours, symbols and other similar names. “What we need is a broad front that can initiate a regime change. For that, we need the support of the JVP and Sarath Fonseka who is the leader of the Democratic Party. It is all about changing the regime and not pandering to individual needs,” Samaraweera told reporters in Colombo a few days ago.

However, SajithPeramadasa, the recently appointed Deputy Leader of the UNP, has already pledged to support Wickremesinghe if he contests the next presidential election as the UNP’s candidate under te symbol ‘elephant’