The United National Party (UNP) has decided to remove Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake from the post according to reports.
According to sources from within the UNP the decision has been taken in accordance to the stance of the party to remove any Mayor, Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman, Opposition leaders or UNP members of local governments who have expressed their support to the Samagi Jana Balawegaya or any other party instead of the UNP.
The UNP had apparently carried out a fact-finding secret mission to elicit information on local government representatives who are not working towards strengthening the party. The decision to remove Senanayake was arrived at after it was revealed that she had been utilizing privileges accorded by the UNP while holding the position of Mayor but had instead been working to promote and strengthen the breakaway group Samagi Jana Balawegaya in the last few months.
It is also reported that Deputy Mayor Mohamed Iqbal and a former Mayor Titus Perera have already applied for the position of Mayor that will be vacant after the removal of Senanayake. The UNP is expected to make a decision on this in the coming days.
Meanwhile, a special meeting led by Leader of the UNP Ranil Wickramasinghe had been held at Sirikotha recently with the UNP members of Colombo Municipal Council. However, this meeting had not been attended by the Mayor and one council member. While the council member had provided an explanation for her absence, the Senanayake had not conveyed the reason for her absence to the party headquarters.
At the meeting, Wickramasinghe had told the council members that the party working committee at no point allowed for Sajith Premadasa to create another party. He also said a letter calling for explanations has been sent to party members who have handed over nominations for the upcoming elections from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya which amounts to breaking party discipline. He said a decision will be taken about the members after receiving their responses.
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