President Ranil Wickremesinghe is busy these days tying new political knots one after the other.
The President is in a very busy environment as he is spending more time on this. The President held his inaugural political rally at the Salgadu Stadium, Anuradhapura last Saturday. Before that, he worshiped at the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi and Ruwanweli Maha Seya and called on the Atamasthanadhipathi, the Most Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Nayaka Thera and invoked blessings.
When President Wickremesinghe went to the Salgadu Stadium after finishing it, there was a drizzle, but he mingled with the crowd and encouraged them despite the drizzle. The people who were present also stayed there despite the bad weather and blessed the President for a landslide victory.
After the Anuradhapura rally, President Wickremesinghe went to Colombo and launched his political campaign. He went to Sirikota, the party headquarters, and called on the party Working Committee and discussed the party Convention. In the event that the party does not field a candidate, permission needs to be obtained from the party’s Working Committee and the party Convention regarding the person the party supports.
It was the same in 2010 when supporting Sarath Fonseka as well as when supporting Maithripala Sirisena in 2015. The party Convention will be held today (August 25) and as the party leader is running as an independent candidate this time, approval has to be obtained, so President Wickremesinghe instructed party General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara to take the necessary steps.
President in Kandy
The President left Colombo on Monday and went to Kandy to watch the Dalada Perahera. It is an official affair for the Head of State to watch the Dalada Perahera. After accepting the scroll regarding the successful conclusion of the Perahera, President Wickremesinghe arrived in Colombo on Tuesday evening.
When the President came down from the upper floor of the Queens Hotel, Kandy after the Perahera ended, the security forces thought that he was getting ready to go to his abode. But when the President changed his route and went to the people on the other side of the road, there was nothing they could do. When the President went among the crowd and talked to them, Chief of Presidential Security Jamaldeen took steps immediately to strengthen the security there.
The President received a rousing welcome from the people. They wanted a bigger reduction in prices and steps taken to create jobs. President Wickremesinghe said that he has laid the foundation for that and added that the people will get that relief in the future.
President Wickremesinghe had decided to stay away from election duties on Mondays as he has been assigned the responsibility of performing official duties although he is a Presidential candidate.
The President instructed the President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake and Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayaka to convene the Cabinet meeting and the Security Council on that day. However, it was not possible last week because the Kandy Dalada Perahera was on that day and it was also a Poya Day.
Cabinet decisions
President Wickremesinghe met the Cabinet and the Security Council last week on Wednesday due to this. Several decisions were taken by the Cabinet of Ministers to provide relief to the people. Ensuring the security of the candidates during the election as well as national security was also discussed at the Security Council.
Open secret
It is an open secret that a number of SJB MPs had been in contact with the President for a long time. The President had assigned the responsibility of working closely with that group to Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene and UNP Working Committee member Dinouk Colombage.
They had been meeting SJB MPs for some time at their request. But when the fact was revealed to the SJB group, they started attacking the group indirectly. Due to this, Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene and others were reluctant to show that they had engaged in any discussion with this group. However, a problem arose because one of the MPs who gave leadership to the SJB group betrayed the battle.
But a woman came forward to lead the battle. But she had a problem with her MP post. That message was conveyed to the President and he gave her an excellent answer. “Resign from the MP post. It’s respectable.” That answer boosted her morale. Accordingly, MP Thalatha Athukorala went to her Kahawatta residence and started to write the speech alone regarding her resignation. She switched off her phone and started writing it at home. She wrote the speech herself without showing it to anyone, and got a friend of hers to type it, corrected the mistakes and put it in a file cover.
Emotional speech
Suspicious about Thalatha Athukorala’s silence, a group of SJB MPs searched for her, but no one could find proper information about her until she arrived in Parliament. When MP Thalatha Athukorala came to Parliament and commenced her speech, MP Kabir Hashim sat next to her.
As soon as the speech was over, she came out of the Chamber along with SJB MPs Mayantha Dissanayake and Ajith Mannapperuma. Thalatha Athukorala, who gave an emotional speech, met MP Rishad Bathiudeen while leaving the Chamber. “Why did you make this decision? We can’t imagine. Rishad said.
“I gave reasons for that throughout my speech. But I will tell you a little story. “Remember who saved you and your wife when they were in trouble,” saying that Thalatha left Parliament and returned home.
On Thursday, President Wickremesinghe went to his political office at Flower Road. A number of Ministers and MPs who were present discussed at length about the upcoming political meetings as well as public awareness at the grassroots level. After the discussions, during the friendly conversation between the President and the Ministers, there was talk about the resignation of MP Thalatha Athukorala.
“The story that SJB MPs have no place in the party is completely true. It is our people who left Pohottuwa who are now ruling the SJB,” MP Nimal Lanza said. “MP Kabir Hashim started talking to us saying that he would get the disappointed SJB MPs to meet the President. He also spoke to the President several times,” MP Wajira Abeywardena said, revealing a secret.
“But he betrayed the battle at the last moment and ran away. But Thalatha, a woman, had a backbone that he didn’t have,” Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said with emotion.
“People have not come to the SJB Katunayake meeting. It is heard that Kavinda Jayawardena and Ajith Mannapperuma have not gone either,” Lanza told the President.
“Yes, it is also heard that they had berated the organisers for not having enough people,” State Minister Shehan Semasinghe said joining the conversation.
“People used to come to Katana from Ja-ela and Gampaha. It is clear that there are no people even with the doctor who left us. It is heard that she was disappointed as she could not preside over the meeting, MP Premnath C. Dolawatte said.
“There is a problem in the Gampaha district itself. Even after setting up political offices, a problem has arisen,” Sagala Ratnayaka said about the news he had received.
Here it was revealed that a big landslide of the SJB would happen in the near future. There was also talk that a group of people would come to the party Convention, while the President remained silent.
“The President is doing the job slowly, we just have to get down and play the game.” The people there finally left saying that.
The President was in the Eastern Province over the weekend. Thereafter, the President went to the party Convention from Dambulla.
It is election season. Twenty-two million voters in Sri Lanka are hoping that the Independent Election Commission will conduct a free and fair Presidential Election to choose the next President of Sri Lanka. However, the Election Commission cannot do that without the support of the voters.
There has been much discussion in society about the four main candidates contesting the Presidential Election. President Ranil Wickremesinghe is running as the incumbent President and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa is entering the battle through a broad alliance of the Opposition.
Namal Rajapaksa from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and Anura Kumara Dissanayake from the National People’s Power (NPP) have entered the Presidential battle.
SJS rallies
A series of rallies held by the Samagi Jana Sandhanaya (SJS), targeting the Presidential Election, were held last week. Last week, the Presidential candidate of the Samagi Jana Sandhanaya Sajith Premadasa, participated in public rallies at Ruwanwella, Nawalapitiya, Mawanella, Mirigama, Katunayake and Moratuwa. A large number of people participated in these rallies, despite the heavy rains.
At the Nawalapitiya rally, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said, “Surveys have confirmed that all the people in the country will ensure the victory of the Samagi Jana Sandhanaya and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) on September 21. That victory will be a victory of the people.
“At a time when the country’s economy has collapsed and the President and the Government are handling the economy for the welfare of the cronies, we will create a massive economic development era that expands the economy and permits the people to reap the benefits of economic development.
“With the people’s participation the Government that will be formed on September 21, a strong poverty eradication program will be launched for low income people, consisting of saving, investment, production, consumption and exports,” he said.
MP Mujibur Rahuman said, “The leadership and team that can recover the country are with the SJS. The group that has a vision for the economy that can take the country forward is the SJS. Sajith Premadasa is the only leader who can build the country and bring about national unity in the country.”
MP Tissa Attanayake said, “The blessings in the hearts of the people should be converted into a vote. The only social and national responsibility that the people have to do is to vote for the telephone. Everyone should unite to appoint Sajith Premadasa as the President representing the entire country. The UNPers now have to join only with Sajith Premadasa. We invite the UNP members to come and join Sajith Premadasa’s journey to victory.”
MP Patali Chamipika Ranawaka said, “There were several mouthpieces in politics who deceived the Sinhalese and Buddhists in the country. Those few mouthpieces are with another Presidential candidate. The people have got an opportunity on September 21 to reduce that number to zero. The people should ensure the victory of Sajith Premadasa and the SJB to move the country forward from where it is and to build a proud country that can repay its debts.’’
MP Sudarshini Fernandopulle said, “We have a program to win, and a leader who can lead the program. A good team that can work with the leader is also essential. If these three things are not successful, it will be difficult to move a country forward. I joined the SJS to ensure the victory of Sajith Premadasa’s program. He is a person who has come from an upper level in politics. He became a Member of Parliament from the Hambantota district, Minister and Leader of the Opposition. Sajith Premadasa is a visionary leader. He has a talented team to work with.
MP Dayasiri Jayasekara said, “First, the country must be strengthened to rebuild it. If the country is to be strengthened, a person who cares about the ‘little man’ should be the President of the country. The era of the reign of that ‘little man’ begins on September 21. Sajith Premadasa is the only leader who knows the plight of the little man. Ranil Wickremesinghe stands with thieves, but Sajith Premadasa does not stand with such thieves.
“The blessings in the hearts of the people should be converted into a vote. The only social and national responsibility that the people have to do is to vote for the telephone. Let us all unite to elect Sajith Premadasa as the President representing the whole country,’’ he said.
Prof. G.L. Peiris said, “On September 21, the people will have the opportunity to set up a Government under Sajith Premadasa that is law-abiding, respects the Supreme Court, and operates under the rule of law. Sajith Premadasa acted as the Opposition Leader unlike an ordinary Opposition Leader. He did a great service to the country’s education and health without any help from the Government. Let’s end the era of darkness and start a new journey on September 21.”
Due to the support extended by some Ministers of the Government to the SJB, the President had taken steps to curtail the money allocated for various development projects. Information was also revealed in Parliament in this regard.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said, “In this election season, it is prohibited to engage in election campaigns using public funds. It is an illegal and criminal act. The funds allocated to MP Rishad Bathiudeen from the decentralised funds have been stopped. That is because he joined the Opposition. This is a serious question. Decentralised money was reserved for Rishad Bathiudeen and they curtailed it saying that he had entered into an alliance with us.
“However, Rs. 300 million has been allocated for MP Muszhaaraff and they are trying to use that money for election work which is completely illegal. The Election Commission should intervene and stop this illegal practice. Money is approved in Parliament. That approved money is one rule for Bathiudeen and another for Muszhaaraff. What is the meaning of this?,” he said.
Prof. Charitha Herath said, “The President is working like crazy. There are 31 days left for the election of a new President. The President works with a distorted mindset. The best example is that a newspaper article highlighted that Rishad’s Rs. 200 million projects were immediately stopped by the Presidential Secretariat. This is a matter of shame for the country’s politics.
“What kind of politics can curtail the allocations given to a MP for his district for not helping the President? Government officials should not work on the orders of candidates contesting the election. The officers who obeyed those orders are responsible for this. Ranil Wickremesinghe’s political practice is understood from this incident itself. The best way to retaliate is to help in Sajith Premadasa’s victory to defeat this group of people who break the law, do wrong politics, and utter lies during the Presidential Election,’’ he said.
Many regional leaders joined the SJS by expressing their support for its Presidential Candidate Sajith Premadasa in the series of public rallies held in Ruwanwella, Nawalapitiya, Mawanella and Mirigama. A group of former members of the Yatiyantota, Ruwanwella and Galigamuwa Pradeshiya Sabhas, CWC and NCWC also expressed their support to Sajith Premadasa.
A group of MPs of the SLPP, SLFP and Nidahas Janatha Peramuna also came together to express their support to Sajith Premadasa. UNP, United Sri Lanka Front electoral organisers, electoral coordinators, electoral managers, Bala Mandala Secretaries and a large number of people gathered to ensure the victory of Sajith Premadasa.
SJB Ratnapura District MP Thalatha Athukorala made a statement in Parliament that she will resign from her position as a Member of Parliament.
This is what the SJB MPs said about the resignation of Thalatha Athukorala. Although Talatha Athukorala announced her resignation in Parliament, the Speaker was not officially informed, so a problem has arisen in appointing the next MP.
MP Mujibur Rahuman said, Thalatha Athukorala resigned from Parliament. But Thalatha had said that she will continue to do politics. There has been a hint about who she is preparing to join after leaving Parliament. Athukorala is a former senior member of the SJB. She worked very hard with Sajith Premadasa. She also did a great service to build the SJB. No injustice was done to her by the party. I feel that she made a wrong decision.’’
MP Mayantha Dissanayake said, “Thalatha is an MP who worked very well with the SJB. She will regret her decision. As a leader, she could have stayed with the SJB. That’s what needs to be done right now. She announced in Parliament that corrupt people have been added to the SJB. If such corrupt people have joined the SJB, she must reveal who they are in public.’’
MP K.P.S. Kumarasiri said, “Thalatha is about to go to the great hell of excrement. She says that Sajith Premadasa’s group has corrupt people and fraudsters. Premadasa has been joined by a group of people who are not involved in corruption charges and have no charges of fraud or corruption. Those accused of fraud and corruption are with the President Ranil Wickremesinghe.”
A meeting of business professionals and industrialists was held in Colombo last week under the patronage of SJS Presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa. Montek Singh, considered to be the founder of India’s liberal economy, was also present.
Singh, the architect of India’s economic prosperity, said, “Sajith Premadasa’s economic vision is a very correct vision. Moving towards a new economic growth is not a difficult task according to my belief. While India’s economic growth is maintained at less than seven or eight percent, it is not difficult for a country such as Sri Lanka to reach three percent.
“Opening the economy through reform is a difficult and controversial situation. In maintaining your growth rate at 2.5 to 3 percent, you can maintain it at 7 or 8 percent, and one of the activities we are doing now is to achieve a faster economy,” he said.
