Sri Lanka, April 24 -- UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara said President Ranil Wickremesinghe will contest the Presidential Election as a common candidate under a new common symbol.

He said that leaders of several parties, including the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, have commenced negotiations to join the UNP and some of them will be on the UNP stage during the party's May Day rally. Commenting on the party's preparations for the upcoming May Day he said that the UNP will hold one of the biggest May Day rallies in history.

Bandara was speaking at a meeting held in Pathahewahata, Kandy. He also said that the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, formed by S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and a faction which broke away from the United National Party is curre...