Friends of Yahapalanaya (good governance) are hard to find and an extinguished breed. Needs to search vainly among the coterie enjoying the spill-offs from the gravy train to spot an unseen, unheard chump. Most holding appointments are not the squeaky clean. The genuine good governance supporters have left in dismay after watching it sorrowfully unfold.

Easy as train spotting. See it all on the road and watch the fuel burnt in official vehicles carrying good governance lightweights on their worthless meanderings without checks. Holding such high office are names that have not earned value or without a touch of class.  Many are nobodies of some bodies.

Dismissed collectively as political upstarts by a hostile public, conscious of the rising public debt, as prices escalate on market shelves and coins collect and notes disappear in tired wallets. A few do contribute but are tarred by the same brush. Public over the years has been accustomed to seeing mighty corporations melt due to political foolery, irrespective of the government in office. These peddlers of power come from the same nurseries. A cause for anger, on seeing wastage, corruption, nepotism, and inefficiency – is understandable. Yahapalanaya is the same old song, sung again to a new tune by the same croaky voices. 

Reaction is fast and furious on being bluffed but the buck stops there and all is taken for granted until the next election comes. This government has a compulsory 4 years and six months to survive under the re-written constitution, for its better or worse. Watch out for fresh gimmicks coming from all corners. It is in the making awaiting marketing. Are you strong and sensible as to resist?  Not in my belief, looking at past track records.

Sincere and honest are found amongst the ordinary folk - that includes you being no sissy to any political weird - do.  You are one of a rare species, away from the political realm - cut free and run - is off an endangered list. Inflicts damage on those trying to fool you-the political class – silently with the precious vote. Rajapakse who thought he was God’s gift to mankind was shown the unwanted board not once but twice. He got the message but not his political boosters since they are lost without his patronage.

Emerged as a man-of-war, MR left the scene as a momentous figure. Will be remembered for saving the country even if found guilty of heinous wrongdoings, long after Sirisena and Wickremesinghe become footnotes in the textbooks of the 22nd century? Sentencing MR is like granting a visa to re-enter politics in trying to punish him for wiping out terrorism and ushering peace, the greatest service rendered by a politician in living memory hunt him with the Geneva pill – will make his return easy. A returning - MR is an unlikely phenomenon - unless it is shrouded as reverse reaction amidst a life of economic hardships. Leave him alone to sulk in a quiet corner is an option the government would not consider. Mahinda Rajapakse bloated in mind, undid by over reaching his limits, in running for a third term. There are tolerable limits of gratitude that cannot be exceeded in seeking extensions.He sought and received a punch that led to the Raja-apocalypse for himself. Not knowing when to quit, a national failing, people sent him packing home on an abrupt retirement. Yet he returned stupidly to get the second round knock out blow. It’s not for the man alone, that creates respect,but for what he did for his country. Avarice overcame MR - fancied himself as the party not the leader. Feet became too large for his shoe.

President Sirisena two-timed his party to help the opponent to gain power while he picked a devalued crumb. There are many that make the majority, will not pardon him for treachery: making MS permanently vulnerable. UNP to win needs a divided SLFP which Sirisena adroitly is creating. His horsemen selected to Cabinet posts after being rejected by the electorate will sure make MS a loser and then will ride along with MR, short in numbers, ready to buy junk without selecting, to cause his downfall too. Ranil will benefit much from the division but his playing footie with the TNA and pandering to the West will have consequences that can bring him back to the opposition because of his aloof nature in being too remote. Ranil will never be forgiven if he damages the national image: this government is successfully achieving it, in the minds of the people.

Rooting for MR is a queer combination [Dinesh, G.L, Gammanpila and Wimal]. They stand together being politically orphaned without the guiding hand of their Hambantota Santa Claus. It’s curious to find pro and anti CFA adherents under one umbrella. Who is footing the bills in keeping a cause that is flickering?
At least it could be said to the credit of G.L. that he did not fatten his purse while those around him were doing so, though he had his share of costly fun. Wimal Weerawansa has a support base of his own in Colombo for being passionately consistent in his struggle against terrorism but does he not look stupid when he cannot identify his passport that carries his picture? Less said of others is better for them.

To those that yearned for good governance-except for the feel of a nip in the air of a thin wedge of personal freedom: so slight that it hardly makes a dent in the background of rising prices, economic hardships, ongoing corruption and worsening nepotism.

The sincere, honest and good in the Yahapalanaya tract have fled in shame to quiet corners: lying low - too embarrassed to show face in public. They meant well, wanted a genuine change not anaesthetic variance. Sri Lanka fortunately underwent no coloured revolution or a visible foreign fist in a regime change, thanks to those stalwarts. People had enough of the Raja-apocalypse: people did, in their opinion, an unpleasant/ungrateful act, being honest in their hearts, dumped MR. They toppled him democratically from their own support groups, as his majorities thinned and skimmed from the winning electorates. UNP has failed to attract that floating vote since they created a Sirisena who was loosing it all, due to those whom he established on a rigged good governance theme.
Would it cause much regret among the people in having been ungrateful and made their life more difficult? Mood is changing with the antics of the Attorney General’s Department and a disputing Cabinet. Voters are selfish if there is no national issue to crow. Are people looking back in regret, as in the case of undoing the Peronists whose come back, was even shorter? Will there be a second coming for MR, past his prime that will be leaner? Unlikely, as MR is over occupied with his domestic problems talking shop in temple compounds. Need is for a younger and cleaner face. Where to find such a name?

The legend of Rajapakse-ism will linger in many diluted forms way beyond his lifetime in the political stream without an Evita or Raja-paksites.