Are 'reforms' being reformed?

Sunday Observations: The Political Column

While UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe spends the day in the cool climes in Great Britain engaged in a three-week long visit to the West,his planned 'reforms' in the party are getting 'reformed' day by day with the majority of the UNP moving in a single direction. With Wickremesinghe's confidence placed on his Deputy, Karu Jayasuriya, the party now seems to strengthen the hands of Wickremesinghe giving more prominence to Jayasuriya. The grandson of D. S. Senanayake was earlier tipped to succeed Malik Samarawickreme as Chairman. It was a move by the party to give recognition to Rukman. But Rukman never aspired for such positions.When time was sought to place him in that position,the gentleman politician Rukman Senanayake willingly obliged Wickremesinghe and Jayasuriya saying it was the prerogative of the party leadership.

Dramatic plans got under way this week in the UNP. The top rank of the party met in groups to discuss the proposed reforms. At these meetings it was moved that Rukman Senanayake be made a Senior Vice Chairman of the party with Karu Jayasuriya being brought back as Chairman, a portfolio he held prior to Samarawickreme. This proposal also envisages Jayasuriya to retain the position of Deputy Leader. The participants claimed the move would strengthen the hands of Wickremesinghe as leader as Jayasuriya was not a man who backstabbed others to climb the ladder. The next issue discussed was finding a successor to the incumbent general secretary N. V. K. K. Weragoda. Prior to the departure of Wickremesinghe, the present deputy general secretary, Tissa Attanayake vigorously canvassed and campaigned for the post.

Despite Attanayake's vigourous campaign, Wickremesinghe did not commit himself on the successor. But, Attanayake continues his campaign in the absence of his leader. Contrary to this valiant effort of Attanayake, the party seniors have moved to propose the veteran from Wayamba, Gamini Jayawickreme Perera, a grassroots level politician. Those who met this week to discuss reforms were in favour of having a senior leader like Perera as general secretary. The next issue was to bring the party to the style of the 1977 to have a combination like JRJ and Premadasa. On this plan, a senior UNPer from Colombo moved that bringing S. B. Dissanayake to the forefront as National Organiser and Assistant Deputy Leader would form a combination similar to JRJ and Premadasa in 1977.

Under these new plans, the groups were of the opinion that a Member of Parliament with a financial background should be the next Treasurer of the party. Here, it was proposed to have Ravi Karunanayake, a Chartered Accountant and Financial Controller by profession. At the meeting it was decided that a handpicked team should discuss the proposal with Ranil Wickremesinghe on the latter's return to the country. Karunanayake has already being eyed for a post of Assistant Secretary of the party. He has expressed his desire to accept the post of Treasurer but not an Assistant Secretary post. Party stalwarts say that if Karunanayake is overlooked for the post of Treasurer, the leadership may face pressure as the majority are in favour of Karunanayake to handle that important task.

Be that as it may, the UNP leader faces tough issues on his return regarding the reforms. If the majority views are not accommodated, more jumbos are likely to jump to the other side as they are also in favour of a broader government to the country in this hour of a national crisis. They point out that the administration of President Mahinda Rajapaksa gathers momentum day by day gaining popular support. UNPers are pleased with the manner the President handled the terrorist threats and the Mawilaru issue a few like Tissa Attanayake criticised. Top UNPers claim that the defensive actions of the President had minimised civilian and troop casualties while causing heavy damage to the enemy in the security tensed areas. The measures adopted by the President and the government to tackle the security situation has been commended by the UNP groups who met this week.

While extending their support to the President, these groups discussed the ugly scenario within the party stating the future looked bleak for the UNP. The issue that surfaced among them was the death threat hurled at former Colombo Municipal Councillor, T. M. Sanghadasa by a UNP MP in Colombo for demanding a fresh team of inquirers into the tippexing issue of the CMC nomination list. Sanghadasa had disclosed to the party stalwarts that a contract had been given to an underworld gang in Sanchiarachchiwatte, Hutftsdorp, by a Colombo UNP MP to kill him.Party seniors have expressed grave concern over this disclosure by Sanghadasa and are awaiting the return of Wickremesinghe as a former Media Secretary of a UNP MP in Colombo too came under attack by a gang in Hulftsdorp on Wednesday. The victim was brutally assaulted and hospitalised. Senior UNPers have stated that they would urge Wickremesinghe to rid the party of political thugs if the UNP wanted to go on a decent political journey. Sanghadasa had been advised by party seniors to make a complaint to the police over the death threats hurled at him.