The UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said the UNF would form a new alliance in order "save the nation".
Urging all political parties to join this force, Ranil vowed "we will not allow anyone to destroy this nation which we have managed to safeguard at the risk of our lives."
"I promise to pull this nation through the present curse by associating myself in a new and a broad alliance. Therefore I invite everyone to join this new political force,” he added.
Speaking about his plan to build a broad coalition, Wickremesinghe reiterated that he wouldn’t betray his country calling on his dealing with the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
“Even when I was a Presidential candidate, the LTTE wanted to make agreements with me but I refused I never betrayed my country.”
His statement comes amid rumours that he is under significant pressure from within the UNP party to hand over leadership to a new candidate.
Sri Lanka plunged into turmoil last month after the president sacked Ranil as prime minister and appointed the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place, before dissolving parliament last week.
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