JVP exposes its hidden agenda

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Government have again demonstrated in no uncertain terms their firm belief in democracy and the people's power by dissolving Local Government (LG) bodies to hold fresh elections shortly.

Having conducted the Presidential elections two years ahead of schedule and the subsequent general elections in April last year, the President intends to give the masses an opportunity to elect representatives to the Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas.

This amply demonstrates the implicit faith the President has in democracy and the importance of electing the representatives of the people's choice to run their regional administration at the Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas.

However, elections to the LG bodies in and around the ICC World Cup 2011 tournament venues will not be held immediately. The Government has decided to hold elections to LG bodies in Pallekele and Kundasale in the Kandy district, Kolonnawa, Kotte, Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia, Colombo MC in the Colombo District and Suriyawewa in the Hambantota district on a later date to avert the election atmosphere affecting the touring teams and spectators at the forthcoming Cricket World Cup venues in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka will co-host the ICC World Cup Cricket tournament with India and Bangladesh from February 19. Twelve World Cup matches, including a semi-final, will be played at three venues - Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy, R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and the Sooriyawewa International Stadium in Hambantota.

The decision to postpone LG elections in areas of the World Cup host venues has been taken to ensure the smooth functioning of Cricket World Cup matches in Sri Lanka, following a request by Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup-winning captain turned politician Arjuna Ranatunga, now a Member of Parliament for the Kalutara district representing the Democratic National Alliance (DNA). Though the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is the main constituent party of the DNA, the JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe has alleged that the Government has postponed elections to the LG bodies in these areas, which he claims are disadvantageous to the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA). This is furthest from the truth and a ludicrous allegation that makes Amarasinghe a laughing stock again.

Firstly, it would have been far better had Amarasinghe checked the facts and the circumstances with his own DNA Parliamentarian Ranatunga which led to the postponement of elections to those LG bodies. Secondly, if it was the Government's intention to do so as Amarasinghe alleges, elections to the Tissamaharama Pradeshiya Sabha too could have been postponed.

The Tissamaharama PS is the only LG body which the JVP controls on the border of the newly constructed Sooriyawewa International Cricket Stadium which is one of the ICC 2011 World Cup host venues in the subcontinent. If the Government wished to exploit the situation, it could have by all means postponed the elections to the Tissamaharama PS when putting off the elections to the adjoining Sooriyawewa Pradeshiya Sabha.

By this, the Government has proved beyond a shadow of doubt that the decision to postpone LG elections in a few areas was taken solely to honour the request by the illustrious cricketer who inspired leadership in the Sri Lanka team to win the World Cup 14 years ago. Ranatunga is now, however, in a different political camp, having crossed over to the DNA from the UPFA, through which he first entered Parliament after his retirement from cricket. The Government did not consider his political affiliations, but only respected his reasonable request as a knowledgeable former national captain whose leadership helped Sri Lanka conquer the Mount Everest in cricket, beating Australia by seven wickets in the finals of the 1996 World Cup tournament played in Lahore on March 17.

Amarasinghe on the other hand, despite being a former Kalutara Vidyalaya cricketer, displayed his abyssmal ignorance by levelling baseless allegations. It was another shameful attempt by a person who is known only too well for distorting things to seek petty political mileage for anything under the sun.

It is deplorable to note that Amarasinghe had forgotten the fact that the Government could have continued the existing administration of all LG bodies for four months more as the extended term of office of all LG bodies ends only in April this year.

Strangely, Amarasinghe or any of the other so-called 'guardian angels of democracy' or NGO agents who shout themselves hoarse on free and fair elections seem to have conveniently forgotten the bold decision of the Government which helps further strengthen the people's belief in democracy. Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has quite rightly pointed out, that this is the first time in Local Government election history in Sri Lanka, that LG institutions have been dissolved prior to an LG poll.

This salutary step had been taken to ensure a free and peaceful election.

Now that the dissolved LG bodies are under Special Commissioners, there is no room whatsoever for former members to abuse the property of those LG institutions by using them for the hustings.

By discontinuing the earlier practice of incumbent members of LG bodies remaining in office until new members are elected, President Rajapaksa has set a shining example and taken the first move to ensure a free and fair election. This step would ensure that resources of LG bodies are not used to the advantage of any particular candidate or political party.

Instead of commending the exemplary decision to further strengthen democracy, the JVP is only making a desperate attempt to cover its political nudity. Having unsuccessfully contested the last presidential election under the Swan symbol and the general election, thereafter, under the Trophy symbol, the JVP has now switched back to the Bell, its original symbol and plans to contest the forthcoming LG polls alone.

Somawansa Amarasinghe and his extremist elements are running out of options to stem the fast deteriorating JVP vote base. Even kindergarten children and less than three percent of the JVP voters have now realised that Amarasinghe and his opportunists are only good at talking arrant nonsense.