The United National Party (UNP) has issued a statement saying that it was surprised to see President Anura Kumara Dissanayake personally congratulating Joseph Wijey.
The UNP statement states that there is no tradition of a head of state sending such congratulatory messages to foreign provincial leaders.
The UNP, in its statement, questions why President Dissanayake did not send a congratulatory message to the newly elected West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari or Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma.