Wife Tamara not impressed with UNP's attempts to get him released

Addressing a rally in Vihara Maha Devi Park in Colombo, the senior leader of the opposition United National Party (UNP) insisted that the president change his approach in finding a solution to the grievances of minority Tamils.

“President Rajapaksa would have to adopt a solution that would genuinely devolve power in a united Sri Lanka.”

New 'leader'

Dissanayake, who was jailed for two years with rigorous imprisonment for making defamatory remarks on judiciary, was pardoned by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday.

He was deprived of his parliamentary seat in Nuwara Eliya district and civil rights as a result of the imprisonment.

	Dissanayake made a scathing attack on Sinhala nationalists

Party colleagues meanwhile indicated that the released former Samurdhi, Agriculture and Sports minister would be the next leader of the UNP.

Former Fisheries minister Mahinda Wijesekara referred to Dissnayake as ‘the future leader’ in front of UNP leader, Ranil Wickramasinghe.

Dissanayake vowed to continue his political career as he came out of Welikada prison.

Wife not impressed

He told Elmo Fernando of BBC Sandeshaya (bbcsinhala.com) that he would ‘never’ leave the UNP though he was ‘approached by many’ from the ruling alliance.

Leader of the opposition Wickramasinghe pledged to continue the fight until the authorities reinstate Dissanayake’s civil rights.

But his wife, Tamara Dissanayake, was not impressed with the support offered by the party while her husband was in jail.

She told BBC Sandeshaya soon after his release on Wednesday that although the UNP leaders supported the campaign, the party could have done more to get him released earlier.