United National Party (UNP) Deputy Leader Minister Sajith Premadasa is to remain defiant in his decision to contest the next presidential election as the candidate of the United National Front (UNF). A member of Premadasa’s camp, Non-Cabinet Minister Ajith P. Perera told The Sunday Morning that they will prove to the party leadership, in numbers, as to why Premadasa must be picked as the UNF presidential candidate. He said that while Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s name is expected to be nominated to the UNP Working Committee and parliamentary group as the UNF candidate, Premadasa’s name will also be nominated. Perera said the UNP leadership had been told that three surveys conducted by party members have shown that Premadasa had more support than Wickremesinghe. He also said that they had wider support in the UNP Working Committee and parliamentary group and so remain confident Premadasa will be the final choice. Signatures are also expected to be collected from UNP and UNF members to prove, in numbers, that Premadasa had wider support, Perera said. Meanwhile, he also rejected the idea of Premadasa contesting separately in the event the Prime Minister refuses to endorse him as the UNF presidential candidate. He said that the need to contest separately will not arise as Premadasa had a clear majority support in the UNP both at the parliament level and provincial and local council level. Perera said that the Prime Minister and Premadasa will meet on Tuesday to discuss the issue on who should be the UNF candidate. The talks were scheduled to be held today (Sunday) but had to be postponed on Premadasa’s request. The Sunday Morning also learnt that a committee was to be appointed to take forward Premadasa’s campaign. The committee is to be headed by former Minister Imthiaz Bakeer Markar. However, when contacted, Bakeer Markar said that he could not comment. Meanwhile, UNP Chairman and Cabinet Minister Kabir Hashim said that media reports to the effect that Wickremesinghe had declared himself the presidential candidate of the UNF, were misleading. Addressing the media yesterday, Hashim said that Wickremesinghe had not made such a declaration at a meeting with UNP seniors on Friday. By Maheesha Mudugamuwa