|
|
|
| Sunday, 26 February 2006 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Cardiac arrest in the UNP Sunday Politics by Nandana Vindana Exactly thirty three years ago, in 1973, the then UNP leader J.R.Jayewardene told his deputy R.Premadasa at the earlier location of "Siri Kotha" in Colpetty that the Colombo Municipal Council(CMC) was the 'heart' of the party and warned that if the UNP administration collapsed in the council, it would take at least ten years to rebuild the party. In a lighter vein Jayewardene quipped that in the event of such a collapse even Dr. Christian Barnard would find it difficult to perform a heart transplant on the UNP body. On this occasion, Jayewardene accompanied a young lad to 'Siri Kotha' for the latter to acquaint himself of the building. This young lad, very fair in complexion with an average height, hair somewhat grown, stood a few feet away from Jayewardene who was talking to Premadasa on the upper floor. He too would have certainly heard what Jayewardene told Premadasa. This writer from the Sun newspaper Group at that time and Stanley Samarasinghe from the now defunct Aththa newspaper were there to interview Premadasa on his new assignment as deputy leader. Having advised Premadasa on how to protect the UNP in the CMC, Jayewardene walked down the staircase with the lanky lad. That lad was none other than the leader of the United National Party of today, Ranil Wickremesinghe. After thirty-three years UNP's hold on the CMC, records a near collapse with Ranil Wickremesinghe as the leader of the party. For the first time in the history of the UNP, a leader's decision has been changed in a mysterious manner that led to the disqualification of the nomination list to the CMC. It is alleged that Wickremesinghe's secretary, Naufer Rahuman too had a hand in this 'mysterious surgery' performed on the nomination list. There is also another charge that an 'impeachment' type episode was executed reportedly by former Speaker M. H. Mohamed and former CMC deputy mayor Azath Sally when the list reached them on the morning of nominations day. A faction of the UNP opposed to Milinda Moragoda and Mohamed Maharoof blame this duo of being responsible for this 'unhealthy operation' that resulted in the list being rejected as an under aged youth recommended by Maharoof included in the list caused the tragedy. They are also accused of having 'tipexed' the name of T. M. Sanghadasa who was recommended by the UNP leader for nominations.But,the Moragoda-Maharoof faction backed by Sirisena Cooray loyalists allege that the list had been tampered at the residence of Mohamed or on the way to the Kachcheri as it was in the custody of Mohamed. Azath Sally, a bitter critic of Maharoof admitted in a newspaper interview (Sinhala daily) that the list and the names were intact when he perused it at Mohamed's residence. Mohamed had refused to handle it as some oil had been used to smudge the list and had claimed the oil could have been a 'Malayali" charm. Mohamed initially supported the Mayoralty candidature of Cooray but later backed out in support of businessman, Thilanga Sumathipala. Cooray and Sumathipala fell apart during the presidential election campaign in Anuradhapura as Sumathipala captured the scene throwing every dollar at his command. The UNP of the day under Wickremesinghe look to be in factions with a defeat staring at the forthcoming local government elections. The nomination crisis in the CMC has deepened with factional fighting heightening leaving no time for campaigning or organising to face polls. Released jail bird, S. B. Dissanayake is likely to give leadership to the faction currently led by Rajitha Senaratne, Ravi Karunanayake combine. In the Colombo Central, the stronghold of the UNP in the CMC, the voter pattern of the 'greens' is now divided.The battle between Maharoof and Sally has divided the Muslim vote bank. Mano Ganeshan's Western People's Front has already grabbed the Tamil vote. The Sinhala vote stands split with Cooray's friend Sanghadasa being axed from the list. Therefore, the UNP's chances are even slim when these facts are considered. Adding insult to injury, the party depends on an 'independent' list for the present, till a final determination is made by court. It is reliably learnt that only ten candidates in the independent have agreed to step down to make way for UNPers to gain entry to the council. More pressure is likely to mount on Wickremesinghe's leadership in the coming days with the CMC nomination crisis deepening day by day. He appointed a two-member committee to probe the crisis. The report of the committee was expected to be released on Thursday. There appears to be a delay in making it public. The evidence before the committee has involved Wickremesinghe's secretary Rahuman and Moragoda's private secretary, S. Collure. They are alleged to have deleted the name of Sanghadasa at a temple in Narahenpita. Factions opposed to Moragoda are awaiting the release of this report to demand action against those responsible. The delay in the determination of the court too would contribute to the deepening crisis within the UNP. Another faction in the UNP has threatened to complain to the CID in order to call a probe over tampering of nomination list. With the UNP in total disarray and its administration in the CMC now dead with the diagnosis of cardiac respiratory failure, J. R. Jayewardene's prediction looks correct that it will take ten years to rebuild the party. |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
