He is responding to a question by Sri Lanka Mirror as to whether the parties that joined together at the last presidential election under the ‘swan’ symbol will do so for the parliamentary polls too.

The UNP working committee decided to contest under the ‘elephant’ symbol, he said.

He said any party or person accepting the UNP’s policies and objectives could seek to contest on the party’s ticket.

Meanwhile, minister Lakshman Kiriella told a function in Kandy that the UNP would not accept back those who had abandoned the party.

Many had left the UNP for personal gains, he noted.

Several leading figures of the SLFP have requested to contest on the UNP ticket, the minister added.