Ranil won't enter Parliament through national list - Kithsiri Manchanayake

COLOMBO (News1st): A United National Party (UNP) candidate has claimed that its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will not enter parliament through the national list. The UNP was defeated at this year's election as it ended up securing only one national list seat in Parliament. Kithsiri Manchanayake, a UNP candidate, denied that Wickremesinghe who lost the poll with other party stalwarts, will enter parliament through the national list. "It was made clear today," he noted. Vajira Abeywardena, a former UNP lawmaker said a final decision regarding the nomination would be made following a meeting next Monday. He added that the party has not discussed a change in leadership. "We are not at a point where we are discussing a change in leadership," Abeywardena said.  "The United National Party will reform itself and face this challenge" Following its defeat, the UNP issued a statement saying that it was defeated despite registering many achievements that brought long-lasting benefits to the country. "The UNP is prepared to accept the responsibility for failure and shortcomings, both the result of its own actions and the actions of others," the statement read. It added that the UNP had to face many challenges internally and externally. "The party will be reorganized and restructured to face the challenges and we will be moving forward with determination and vigour,".