Oct 19, Colombo: Sri Lanka main opposition United National Party (UNP) Southern Provincial Councilor Maithri Gunarathne said in a press conference today that he would initiate legal action against the party's decision to suspend the membership of himself and several other party members for attending an anti-government rally.

He charged that the UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe was acting as a dictator.

The irate Provincial Councilor who is a lawyer by profession pointed out that the UNP decision violated the party constitution as well as the Constitution of Sri Lanka state.

He questioned how former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka who was the presidential candidate supported by the UNP in 2010 could be an enemy at the present moment.

Meanwhile, UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe today signed the documents regarding the suspension of membership of several UNP politicians who participated in yesterday's rally patronized by Fonseka.

Accordingly, the membership of MPs Palitha Thewarapperuma, Palitha Range Bandara, Ashok Abeysinghe, Provincial Councilors Shiral Lakthilaka, Maithri Gunarathne and several other local government representatives have been suspended temporarily.

The party warned its members not to attend the rally after the working committee of the party decided to impose a ban on participating in the rally that was held to call for abolishing the executive presidency.