KANDY: The United National Party (UNP) Chairman Gamini Jayawickrema Perera said in Kandy yesterday (12), his ambition was to get the rest of the UNP dissidents back.

"Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was solely responsible for the return of deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya. Like-wise getting back the remaining colleagues from the government is one of my primary ambitions," Gamini Jayawickrema Perera told journalists at the Sri Dalada Maligawa.

He paid homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic for blessings on his being appointed chairman.

The military operations against the LTTE terrorists must continue and terrorism routed but, a political solution is a must. There is no solution to terrorism other than crushing it militarily, Jayawickrema Perera stressed.

It was the United National Party (UNP) that lost a large number leaders, he said.

The United National Party is proceeding with arrangements for contesting the forthcoming elections to the Central and North Western Provincial Councils. But the party has gone before the Supreme Court seeking an order to stay the holding of elections until the three important commissions including the election commission were instituted.

"We accept the challenge by Minister Dallas Alahapperuma. But we warn that elections to the two provincial councils should not be held just as the elections were held to the North Western Provincial Council and recently the election at Anuradhapura, Perera stressed.

Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela Bandara received Mr. Perera.

Former Central Provincial Councillors Chithra Shreemathie Mantilake, Shanthini Kongahage, Lucky Jayawardena, Kandy MC members Kesara D. Senanayake and Raja Pushpakumara were among those present.