Starring Cooray and Imtiyaz:

'Me Kawda? Mokada Karanne? a UNP movie

Sunday Observations: The Political Column

The newly elected Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has turned out to be a comedy while the citizens of this capital look upon the UNP as a set of 'jokers' playing hide and seek.

The so-called 'director' and 'producer' of this comedy is reported to be a parliamentarian of the UNP in the city of Colombo. The Independent Group(3) which won the election has been held hostage by a few in the UNP.

At times, the group leader, Suppiah Rajendran is kidnapped or abducted. This man appears and disappears. Now, it's the new Mayor, Uvais Imtiyaz, a three-wheel driver by profession. Since he was sworn in before the UNP's unfortunate Mayoral candidate, Sirisena Cooray, Imtiyaz is reported missing from home and his office.

If Sirisena Cooray well remembers the election slogan of his political mentor, Ranasinghe Premadasa, which he repeated at the CMC polls campaign, Cooray must ask himself, "Me Kawda, Mokada Karanne"? (Who is he?What is he doing?) Yes...the citizens of Colombo have elected an independent group to run the administration of their city for the first time. Well, fortune fell on the lap of a three-wheel driver to be the Mayor.

He is Imtiyaz. Cooray was unfortunate as his grave was dug by the very people who re-introduced him into active politics. That was why the UNP nomination list was rejected. Cooray cannot blame anyone other than his sponsors who backed his political re-entry.

Imtiyaz, the new Mayor has started to play the role of his leader Rajendran. He was missing after he took his oaths. Then he surfaced at the Sulaiman Hospital. Who admitted him to that hospital? His parents are yet not able to locate him. Who paid his bill? Where did he go from there? These are vital questions posed at the UNP.

Fingers are pointed at one of Cooray's political sponsors as being behind the 'operation' of Imtiyaz. When, this political sponsor, a well 'cemented' man in the city, urged Imtiyaz to enter the private hospital, did not Imtiyaz cry out and appeal to leave him alone in the name of Allah? Didn't he say that he wanted to resign, return home and get back to his three-wheeler? Didn't he plead that he wanted to be with his sick mother?

While this political 'sponsor' of Cooray was playing ball with Imtiyaz, the new Mayor, over 1,000 houses at Nawagampura in Colombo went ablaze due to a mishap in one of the shanties.

The new CMC has not met yet. Why? Because of this 'ball' playing game by the political sponsor of Cooray. Can the city go on like this? Garbage appears to pile up day by day. The citizens now ask what the government is going to do.

Should the citizens wait till the Independent Group play the game to an end with the UNP? How long will it take? Will all of them resign? Some have said they will not. The opposition UPFA is ready to enter the CMC administration.

Opposition leader, Vasudeva Nanayakkara has been frantically searching for the newly sworn in Mayor. He has visited the residence of Imtiyaz twice but the Mayor was missing. He then paid a visit to the Sulaiman Hospital to see the 'sick' Mayor. Again the Mayor went missing.

Cooray thinks that he and his band of men could fill the vacancies in case the Independent members resign. The fact remains that the Independent Group too is in two factions. Ten of them have refused to comply.

Even if others resign, the Local Government Ordinance (as amended) do not provide any provision for members from other political parties to fill vacancies. Those next in the list then would enter the CMC. In case the entire list is exhausted due to resignations, the minister will be empowered on follow up action.

If the situation is not conducive for a fresh poll, the Executive President as Head of the Government under powers vested in him by the constitution shall decide on the appointment of a Special Commissioner to run the CMC administration once the council stands dissolved.

The 'dirty' politics played by Cooray's political sponsor in the city has put the people in difficulty. This man, party stalwarts say was responsible for this ugly episode from the time the nomination was 'tippexed' by his aides to delete, T. M. Sanghadasa's name.

They say that now he is getting the new Mayor to play 'hide and seek'. They say that Cooray was re-introduced to politics by this man not for the love he had for Cooray. But, to prevent his rival, Azath Sally from becoming Mayor. After the demise of Premadasa, this man had even battled with Cooray to 'cement' his position in the city.

Therefore, party stalwarts say that if Cooray cannot recall those ugly days with this man, surely Cooray must be in senile decay and should not try to be the next Mayor. The new Mayor seems to be caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. Those who are holding him are not freeing him to go back home though he appeals in the name of Allah according to his religious belief. He is deprived of being with his parents.

He was dragged into the independent nomination list while he was on his three-wheelear. If he is held against his wish, those responsible are committing an offence.

Then the relevant authorities should move into action. The UNPers too have a question. They want to know why Ranil Wickremesinghe is tolerating such nonsense. Who runs the UNP is their supplementary question.