A last minute deal between Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sajith Premadasa resulted in the tussle for the UNP leadership at Monday’s Working Committee meeting, petering out, informed sources said.

They told The Island that Premadasa loyalists had signed a motion rejecting an eight-member committee report, recommending the creation of a senior leader post, in addition to that of leader, after Premadasa had been assured by Wickremesinghe that two new positions, namely Additional Deputy Leader and Additional Assistant leader, would be created and the former given to Premadasa and the latter to S. B. Dissanayake.

"At the same time, S. B. Dissanayake’s supporters were made to believe that Dissanayake would be appointed Additional Deputy Leader while Premadasa would be made Additional Assistant leader."

The sources, said that while Wickremesinghe was winning over Premadasa, his confidante and staunch defender Vajira Abeywardena had obtained the signatures of 28 Working Committee members, expressing confidence in Wickremesinghe’s leadership and also rejecting the creation of a senior leader post, on the grounds that it would make the partya laughing stock.

Eventually, when Dilip Wedaarachchi proposed to the Working Committee that an Additional Deputy Leader post be created to accomodate Premadasa, it was opposed by Ravi Karunanayake, considered to be a Wickremesinghe loyalist.

Karunanayake countered by proposing S. B. Dissanayake’s name for the position. This resulted in Vajira Abeywardena nominating Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara for the post.

The resulting confusion hastened the end of proceedings with the Working Committee resolving to take up the issue at its next session.