UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has prohibited MPs from engaging in political activity in other areas at the expense of their colleagues.

He demanded an immediate end to the political activities carried out by various Foundations, headed by UNP MPs accused of stealing votes from different electoral constituencies in the intra-party battle for the manape. Addressing a recent party meeting at Sirikotha, Wickremesinghe said that the party would not recognise these Foundations.

He was addressing a group of party officials and activists from Homagama including their chief organiser Irvin Weerakkody.

Milinda Moragoda, in charge of Colombo (North) and Colombo (West), G. L. Peiris in charge of Moratuwa and Mohan Lal Grero responsible for the Ratmalana electorate, head some of the foundations operating in the Colombo electoral district.

Although Wickremesinghe did not name the foundations, last Wednesday's reference was obviously to party organisers, with foundations to their names, who were making inroads for preference votes in constituencies other than those given to them. The Island learns that Wickremesinghe's call was made in the backdrop of complaints by several organisers. Party sources said that the UNP failed to get an MP elected from the Maharagama electorate, primarily due to influential MPs campaigning there at the expense of the local organiser. The sources expressed the belief that Wickremesinghe's tough talk would curb, what one organiser described as, vote grabbing exercises.

MPs Sajith Premadasa and Rajitha Seneratne are among MPs who have set up foundations but they contest Hambantota and Kalutara district respectively. Navin Dissanayake, despite being the head of an active Foundation, entered Parliament through the national list. The sources said that unlike in the provinces the intra-party battle for the manape in the Colombo district is fierce.