Political marriages - hatched or matched
 

Light Refractions by Lucien Rajakarunanayake

Whether it is a long engagement or wedding of the political kind remains uncertain, but the rapid progress of the talks between the SLFP and UNP has prompted many to think in terms of political nuptials very soon.

With President Mahinda Rajapaksa inviting the UNP to join his Cabinet, those who have been talking of an imminent wedding expect their best hopes or worst fears to be confirmed soon. The hopes come from those who support this political marriage and look forward to both the nuptials and the post-nuptial celebrations or the “at home” mood; the fears come from those who see more benefit for the UNP by remaining in opposition longer, with new claims to confirmed bachelorhood in politics, than in sharing the burdens of Government with the UPFA.

All are welcome

The statement by President Rajapaksa that other parties in Opposition are also welcome to join the Government gives room for consideration whether we are in for more political weddings in the future, or whether there will be lesser events such as proposals, engagements or the exchange of rings without final consummation.

Some political analysts were trying to work out whether the President’s invitation for more from the Opposition to join the political wedding chariot would mean that the JVP will be the best man or groomsman in a future signing ceremony. However, there were others who felt the JVP was not yet ready to take the proverbial plunge with all the responsibilities that decision would carry, as opposed to the “marriage of probation” they had earlier, as it has other things to be busy about just now in its ongoing, highly publicized, battles with Sirasa TV.

Whether political marriages are hatched or matched is a matter that has interested many persons, with this phenomenon just now capturing the attention of headline writers in the media and leading to new assessments of the positions and policies that political parties have held for a long time. In a way the alliance between the SLFP and UNP can be said to have been hatched many years ago because both parties have common parentage that goes as far back as the days of the Sinhala Maha Sabha. It’s all a matter of DNA said one political scientist, adding there is a lot of DNA in common between these two parties and it was surprising they did not realize this much earlier. As to political match-making the general consensus is that President Rajapaksa has proved himself to be quite and expert in this traditional form of arranging marriages.

No cause for surprise

There are political analysts who say this should be no cause for surprise because of his commitment to fostering local traditions and culture. In that sense, getting best results in the field of political marriage brokering or being the “magul kapuva” of the highest standing - the only Executive Match Maker, should come naturally to him, these analysts say. That is a little known expertise on the part of President Rajapaksa that has emerged, which should go well with his capability for political manoeuvre of the most trying kind.

Of course they do not ignore the bit part that Milinda Moragoda too played as a small time “kapuva” in bringing about this promised marriage between the two main political parties in Sri Lanka. While the overall mood is that of celebration among those keen to see the union of these two giant parties in the politics of Sri Lanka, there are some voices mainly within the UNP who feel that this engagement with promise of imminent political marriage will sully the virginity of their party.

These protests come from those who try to make out that it is only the SLFP that has had political marriages of one type or another through the years, while the UNP has not tied any knots with other political parties.

Actual history

It is necessary to refresh the memories of such people with the actual matrimonial history of the UNP, which was born only after the first general election of 1947. It is difficult for one to explain how the late G. G. Ponnambalam Snr. held office in the first UNP Cabinet as Minister of Industries without a marriage, even of convenience between his party and the UNP. In 1965, the UNP led a seven party coalition that included MEP, Tamil Congress and Federal Party, which the people dubbed as the “Hath Havula” as opposed to the “Thun Havula” of the SLFP led United Front that come to office in 1970. Let’s also not forget that the UNP briefly abandoning of new found political bachelorhood in December 2001 came only after it formed a government of the United National Front. It could be that those who have fears for the UNP’s virginity consider these only as instances of temporary cohabitation, or living with convenient partners. All this would show that there is not much by way of political virginity in the UNP to be threatened or sullied by the new mutual admiration between it and the SLFP, the latter being very experienced in political marriages.

In the old days when the Daily News had classified advertisements on its second page, the first section that had notices of births, marriages and deaths was referred to as “Hatch, Match and Despatch”. We now see a political marriage that appears to be a combination of hatch and match. As with any marriage there is the time for despatch of one type or another. It could be a final or temporary parting of ways. As much as we live in interesting times, it will certainly be interesting to see whether the promised nuptials between the SLFP and UNP, will show up to be a shotgun marriage, a marriage of convenience, or something richer and more lasting.