The United National Party (UNP) held a Management Committee meeting on Friday under the chairmanship of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, focusing on party rebuilding and coordination with other political forces, Newswire reported.
The meeting at the UNP’s Colombo political office was attended by a majority of committee members, the party said. Discussions covered the current political situation, the party’s organisational restructuring at the centre, and rebuilding the UNP at the grassroots level — including reactivation of electoral organisers, women’s and youth wings, and trade-union affiliates that have lapsed since the party’s parliamentary collapse in 2024.
Coordination with other political formations was also discussed, although the committee did not announce specific alliance commitments. The conversation reflected an evolving opposition landscape in which the UNP, the SJB and several smaller blocs have continued to negotiate a fragmented response to the NPP government. Wickremesinghe — who has remained an active public figure on policy questions despite the party’s reduced parliamentary footprint — has used recent appearances to frame the UNP’s relevance around long-tail economic policy continuity, particularly on the IMF programme.
The committee meeting follows a recent stretch of activity by the former President, including his UK visit and the CID probe over the Treasury cyber heist and his earlier appeal questioning Suresh Sallay’s custody treatment. The UNP has also publicly contested the Maha Sangha disciplinary process calling for a formal procedural framework.
The Management Committee did not release a formal communique outlining next steps. Party officials said additional structured discussions on alliances would follow over the coming weeks.
Sources: Newswire — UNP discusses party rebuilding and political alliances at management committee meeting.
