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| Sunday, 8 August 2004 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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UNP on saline drip... From the Kraal Mahout The UNP hope of bringing down the UPFA government now seems a distant dream with the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) being busy these days, drawing up a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which it intends to discuss with the government. JHU stalwart, Ven. Omalpe Sobhitha Thera said the MoU was being prepared on the initiative of the party and not at the invitation of the UPFA. The UNP hoped that while it announced support for the UPFA to discuss the Interim Self Governing Authority proposal of the LTTE, it could make use of the joint opposition to topple the government at its maiden budget in November. But, the unitary stand on the peace process arrived at by the SLFP and the JVP last week shattered all hopes of the UNP in its attempt to sneak into power early next year as it had dreamt. The President's resignation as UPFA leader is viewed as a step to strengthen national security and add more vigour to the stalled peace process as the Head of State and Head of the Government in addition to her powers as Commander-in-Chief of all Forces. With the resignation, she would be taking and making decisions in the interest of the people and the nation and not as a leader of a political party in power or otherwise. National issues A Presidential Aide said that she was now free from politics to concentrate on national issues and whatever decision she may take would be in the interest of the people and the country. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's decision to quit the UPFA leadership has been welcomed by a group within the UNP. This particular group which met last week at a venue in Colombo claimed that any decision of the President in the national interest should be supported in Parliament. As a step towards extending their support to such decisions, they planned to meet some UPFA leaders to discuss the "One way cross over" system that UNP President J.R. Jayewardene adopted during his first term, permitting only MPs of the opposition to cross over while giving protection to their membership. J.R. passed that legislation only for that Parliament for his benefit. A UNP MP who wished to remain anonymous said that the revival of such legislation would give them a good opportunity to make decisions in the interest of the country. The rank and file of the UNP seem to be in disarray after the recently ratified appointments of N.K.K. Weragoda as General Secretary and N.G.P. Panditharatne as the Head of the Party Re-organisation Committee. Senior UNPers claim that neither of them fit the posts they have been given. Weragoda lacks political experience while Panditharatne's age and health mattered when meeting the arduous task before him. Senior UNPers looked more hurt when two Turks were recently allowed to use the Opposition Leader's office to hold media briefings on their own. Media briefing The UNP turks, Buddhika Pathirana and Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, the latest "favourites" of party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, last week hurriedly summoned a media briefing at the Opposition Leader's office to criticise the unemployed graduates' job scheme initiated by the government. On receipt of the invitation, media people checked to see who was presiding. It became known that two immature turks were going to chair it and the attendance was very low. Buddhika and Akila Viraj, clad in shirt and tie, addressed the few journalists who turned up. They tried to capitalise on the issue, claiming the JVP was not happy over the mode of selection. Within 24 hours, JVP firebrand Wimal Weerawansa replied giving the true position, driving the two turks into a dilemma to which they were unable to respond. Be that as it may, the occupation of the two men in that place and the working out of a good coverage by the private electronic media exposed their immaturity badly, pushing the UNP into a further crisis. Government politicians felt that Wickremesinghe was beginning to lose the confidence of party seniors and he was now bent on getting the support of the young turks. This view seems to be right as UNP seniors who learnt about the two young men taking to the lead to address the media decided to keep away from even other engagements they had on that day at the Opposition Leader's office. The party's top spokesman, Prof. G.L. Peiris is now seen to be fading away gradually, making way for young Buddhika to take over. Peiris is kept in the dark about many meetings at party level at this place. Close to the leader The same fate has befallen other spokesmen like Gayantha Karunatilleke and Ravindra Randeniya. Mahinda Samarasinghe, who is trying to creep into Colombo West from Kalutara, is backing both Akila Viraj and Buddhika as the duo are close to the leader. When Sajith Premadasa was in the good books of Wickremesinghe, Samarasinghe chose to back Sajith and not Naveen Dissanayake. Party sources said Buddhika and Akila are in constant contact with Samarasinghe over the affairs of the party while seniors are kept in the dark. Akila Viraj is to oust Karunasena Kodituwakku from Kaduwela shortly. This would mean the departure of Kodituwakku from UNP politics. UNPers in the Colombo District feel that the combination of Akila Viraj and Samarasinghe from Colombo West may pose a threat to seniors in the district as manipulations would be manoeuvred from the top against them. A very senior UNPer in Colombo quipped: "We are on a saline drip under Ranil's leadership and it might take at least five years to disconnect the drip and we will be dead by then". |
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