Maithri and Mahinda rally support for upcoming polls

26 June 2015 06:32 pm Views - 15798

The dissolution of Parliament became imminent yesterday when President Maithripala Sirisena asked  Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MPs holding perks in his government to get ready for  the general election.

For the first time, the President  put forth his direct words on the planned dissolution . He summoned all these members including Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Labour Minister S.B. Navinna , Land Minister M.K.D.S. Gunawardane  and others for this meeting amid heightened pressure by other parties including the United National Party (UNP), to dissolve Parliament for a general election.

At this meeting, the President made it clear that the passage of the 20th Amendment through Parliament looked uncertain at the moment given strong opposition from the small parties. The President expressed his unwillingness to alienate the minority communities from his party by trying to push through electoral reforms despite their vehement opposition. 

So, he noted that the dissolution of Parliament was the only option left to be considered . He asked the members to set the stage for the election . In the meantime, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa  had a special meeting with the MPs supportive of him in Colombo on Thursday night , and said he would never betray the aspirations of his voters at any cost.  Mr. Rajapaksa, aspiring to be the prime ministerial candidate , made an indication about his plan to contest, as he addressed  a public meeting in Diyatalwa, Badulla recently. 

“We are ready for a general election. Then, people can respond to bitter experience they have  under the present government preaching good governance,” he said. 

At the evening meeting with the MPs at the residence of Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, the former President made a strong meeting. After a while, he  left the meeting saying, “I have another matter to   be attended.”

Most assumed that this would be the meeting between him and President Sirisena at the residence of  Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa. Those  close to Mr. Rajapaksa confirmed that such a meeting took place. Yet, it was denied by the President’s Media after the mainstream media flashed the news. 


UPFA divided over preview on electoral reforms 

The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), the political combination led by SLFP, appeared sharply   divided in taking a position regarding the preview debate in Parliament on electoral reforms.

Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva objected to the proposal by the the UNP, as the key ally  of the Government, to have a debate on electoral reforms as a precursor   to the enactment of  legislation providing for a new electoral system. But, the Government was adamant in its push for it.

Accordingly, it went ahead with the move despite disagreement by Mr. de Silva representing SLFP as the main Opposition in Parliament. The debate was listed on the Order Paper for debate in the House on Tuesday.

 But, prior to that, President Maithripala Sirisena chaired the UPFA parliamentary group meeting.  Absence of coherence within the fold of UPFA, in taking decisions on parliamentary matters, surfaced during this meeting as the factions loyal to the President and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa traded arguments on the party’s stand regarding this debate.    
 
Mr. de Silva took up the position that the Government should not be allowed to move an adjournment motion on electoral reforms ahead of the presentation of the bill in Parliament. 

The bill titled ‘20th Amendment to the Constitution’ has been announced in the gazette notification, and the copies of it made available to the MPs.  Two weeks after gazetting, it has to be presented in the House in conformity with the Constitutional provision outlined in the 19th Amendment.   After placing it on the Order Paper of Parliament, a one week period is left for the parties and individuals interested to petition the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the bill. 

The Opposition Leader’s argument was that the enactment of electoral reforms was the principal purpose of the 20th Amendment, and it should not be debated as an adjournment motion prior to its presentation in Parliament. He noted that it would set a bad precedent if the Government were allowed to proceed with it.   He even said it was unlawful.

MPs such as S.B. Dissanayake intervened in his favour in putting forth this point to be accepted as the party’s standpoint. 

However, the MPs, whose loyalty lies with Mr. Rajapaksa, held a different viewpoint. They, including the likes of Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) Leader Dinesh Gunawardane, raised the point that no Constitutional provision or parliamentary Standing Order barred this motion on electoral reforms from being taken up in the House.

MP Faiser Mustapha, a President’s Counsel loyal to President Sirisena, again tried to float the argument that    the proposed debate was unlawful.  Riled by persistent arguments in this respect, Mr. Gunawardane took a swipe at Mr. Mustapha.

“In the past, you were the advisor to the former President. Now, you are the advisor to the current President. Every time, your advice proved to be wrong and baseless,” he said.   

He added that the bill was not unlawful, nor was it against the Standing Orders of Parliament. The issue cropped up in Parliament later with Mr. de Silva opposing the debate on the adjournment motion listed under Government MP R. Yogarajan. Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake spoke in support of the motion .  Afterwards, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe challenged Mr. de Silva to substantiate his position with Constitutional provisions and Standing Orders governing parliamentary procedures.  

Finally, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa allowed the debate on the basis that the motion concerned did not make any reference to the bill. The MPs, backing Mr. Rajapaksa, kept away from the debate on Tuesday.   


MS - MR patch up now unrealistic  

Despite the appointment of a six-member committee to lay the groundwork for unity of SLFP, it was not yet clear whether President Sirisena would consider nomination for Mr. Rajapaksa.  The six MPs serving in this committee, met with the President.  They are MPs John Seneviratne, Dilan Perera, Susil Premajayantha, Kumara Welgama, T.B. Ekanayake and Anura Priyadarshana Yapa. 

It is not sure whether the President will accommodate Mr. Rajapaksa on board or not
But ,it is clear  that Mr. Rajapaksa will contest the election under any symbol. For that, three districts - Gampaha, Kurunegala and Ratnapura - are considered at the moment by those working his political strategy.  Most members in his camp are of the view that Mr. Rajapaksa, joining the fray from the Gampaha district, would serve the intended purpose of his camp to win the district .  In this district, Mr. Rajapaksa’s camp runs short of leading figures in the district barring Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga. In contrast, the other camp appears strong with the backing of former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga holding sway with a fixed vote base eternally loyal to the Bandaranaike family.   Therefore, the presence of Mr. Rajapaksa will fill the vacuum for his team, and lay the ground for an intense political battle.  


MS busy with nomination list

President Maithripala Sirisena is also engaged in identifying candidates. He contacts various members from different parts of the country and asks them to come forward as candidates.   The support    from SLFP grassroot level members is grim for him, according to reports. 


Tissa in a novel move

Former UNP General Secretary MP Tissa Attanayake, who switched allegiance to Mr. Rajapaksa, is involved in a novel political exercise. Ahead of the general election, he has started consulting leading Buddhist priests in the country. He visited Anuradhapura recently and met with the leading Buddhist monks including Atamastanadhipathi Ven. Pallegama Siriniwasa Thera. 

Along with that, he talks to UNP members who lost their electoral organizer posts in the recent re-shuffle. It looks that he aims at forming a new front with the members distraught with the party, as part of his political strategy to be tried and tested at the next election. 


Basil back in the limelight

Former  Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa , who was in remand prison for 60 days, joined active politics once again. Mr. Rajapaksa , who was absent from Parliament since the defeat at the January 8th election, arrived in the House yesterday . He is playing a key role in evolving the next political strategy to bring back his brother and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to power  as the Prime Minister.