0 ▁villages . ▁▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁Sri ▁L ank an ▁President ial ▁E lection ▁The ▁United ▁National ▁Party ▁didn ' t ▁field ▁a ▁president ial ▁candidate ▁in ▁both ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁elections ▁and ▁supported ▁a ▁common ▁candidate . ▁Even ▁though ▁they ▁won ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁election ▁and ▁elected ▁Ma ith rip ala ▁Sir is ena ▁through ▁their ▁support , ▁relations ▁between ▁the ▁president ▁and ▁the ▁UN P ▁was ▁sh ak y ▁from ▁the ▁beginning . ▁The ▁power ▁struggle ▁between ▁the ▁president ▁and ▁UN P ▁prime ▁minister ▁Ran il ▁W ick rem es ing he ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁Sri ▁L ank an ▁constitution al ▁crisis . ▁In ▁the ▁after math ▁of ▁the ▁events , ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁UN P ▁members ▁public ly ▁expressed ▁their ▁regret ▁supporting ▁a ▁common ▁candidate ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁and ▁promised ▁to ▁field ▁their ▁own ▁president ial ▁candidate ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁elections . ▁ ▁Party ▁leader ▁Ran il ▁W ick rem es ing he ▁was ▁the ▁obvious ▁choice ▁for ▁the ▁candid acy ▁and ▁he ▁reported ly ▁expressed ▁his ▁intent ions ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁the ▁presiden cy ▁in ▁a ▁meeting ▁with ▁other ▁senior ▁members . ▁Meanwhile , ▁several ▁re bel ▁MP s ▁including ▁Mang ala ▁Sam ara we era , ▁Har in ▁Fernando , ▁A j ith ▁Per era , ▁Har sha ▁de ▁Silva , ▁Su je ew a ▁Sen asing he ▁wanted ▁deput y ▁leader ▁S aj