Aug 05, Colombo: Sri Lanka's major opposition United National Party (UNP) sources say that the party plans to hold an urgent national congress.

The UNP national congress is aimed at getting approval to the amendments to the party constitution on holding annual elections to appoint members to leading positions. The party leadership wants to revert to the old system of seeking consensus and electing leaders in every six years.

The party congress is to be held before the Provincial Council election scheduled for September 08.

However, party internal sources say that the pressure is mounting against this congress as the focus is needed to be on the Provincial Council election at this time.

Opponents of UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe say that the leader is trying to secure his position while the party is going to suffer another loss at the elections of the three Provincial Councils.