Speaking, minister of plantations - Lakshman Kiriella said that the decision was unanimously taken at yesterday's (08) UNP Working Committee meeting 

The former UNP General Secretary pledged support to Mahinda Rajapaksa in December 2014, ahead of the January Presidential election. He was subsequently sworn in as the Health minister of the then government.

Mr. Attanayake is currently held in remand custody over forging documents to portray an alleged 'secret pact between the then Opposition Candidate President Maithripala Sirisena and the then Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe.