Leadership, judged by track record and conduct – Chief Opposition Whip

By Jaliya WIJEYEKOON

The United National Party (UNP), the second oldest political party in the country, formed by the first Prime Minister of Ceylon, D.S. Senanayake ruled the country for over three decades under a number of leaders in different terms. The Grand Old Party suffered temporary setbacks even in the distant past, but it never remained in the Opposition for more than one Parliamentary term, until the 1994 General Election.

However, the UNP under the leadership of Ranil Wickremesinghe managed to form a government in 2001 with the support of a breakaway faction of the People’s Alliance headed by its General Secretary S.B. Dissanayake and comprising five other leaders. However, Wickremesinghe could not consolidate his power and continue in position owing to a number of reasons, the main being the Executive Presidency of Chandrika Kumaratunga who dissolved the government at a most unexpected moment after forming a coalition with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna. The United National Party was defeated comprehensively at the 2004 election and since then has witnessed a steady decline at all successive elections.

With the humiliating defeat suffered by the party at the last General election, Wickremesinghe’s leadership was challenged by Sajith Premadasa who claimed that he was prepared to guide the party to victory if he elected leader by a majority vote.

Quite a momentum was gathered for Premadasa campaign with some of the sitting members and former Parliamentarians supporting him.

A clear division emerged in the party with the faction being branded ‘a reformist group’ as they clamoured for some reforms in the party Constitution. The reforms suggested by them were accepted by the Apex Body of the party (Working Committee) August 10, 2010 and a number of amendments were made to the Party Constitution which were ratified by the National Convention on December 12, 2010. Premadasa, who was vying for the party leadership, settled for the Co-Deputy Leader’s post while Wickremesinghe was unanimously elected leader.

However, immediately afterwards, there were allegation by the reformists group that certain top positions of the party were not filled democratically or following proper procedures. The division of the UNP is now quite evident and the grass roots level membership is badly demoralised with the recent developments.

The United national party suffered yet another humiliating defeat at the last Local Government elections which were held on a staggered basis. Some Councils which had remained UNP bastions since their inception, lost to the UPFA (United People’s Freedom Alliance) this time. Some reformists claim that the party cannot be resurrected under the present leadership and a change of leadership is vital for the party to bounce back to power. In the backdrop of these developments, the other Deputy Leader of the party Karu Jayasuriya has announced his willingness to contest for the leadership of the party as he has been requested by Mahanayake Theras and various other groups to save the party from further erosion. This has raised eyebrows among other stalwarts in the party and the ordinary membership is further disillusioned.

Adding fuel to the fire, Gampaha District Parliamentarian and Senior UNP member John Amaratunga has stated recently that he was even more suitable to contest the leadership of the party since he had been a Member of Parliament for over 33 years uninterrupted and had never betrayed the party.

The Sunday Observer conducted an interview with John Amaratunga to ascertain his political aspirations with regard to the leadership of the party and the present situation in the party over the recent statement made by Karu Jayasuriya.

Excerpts of the interview:

Q: Your party is in a chaotic situation right now over the leadership tussle and you too had recently stated that you are more qualified to lead the party with your long-standing political background. Are you seriously interested in vying for the leadership or did anybody request you to also contest for the leadership?

A: As usual, sections of the media have misconstrued what I stated. What I said very clearly was, considering my uninterrupted Parliamentary career of over 33 years, my personal devotion and dedication to the party, allegiance to the leadership and my personal conduct, that I am more suitable than Karu Jayasuriya for the leadership. It doesn’t mean that I am going to contest the leadership or challenge the incumbent leader.

I know who I am and my limits. I am a devoted Catholic. I am indescribably sad about the present situation in our party which had been created by a handful of people who lack deep political vision and acumen.

Q: Your party, which had rendered an invaluable service to the country in the past, which was a formidable force while in power as well as in the Opposition, had miserably failed since 1994 under the present leadership. That ways the main reason for some of your own people to clamour for a leadership change.

A: Have you forgotten the fact that we formed a government in 2001 under the present leadership?

Q: Yes, with the support of a breakaway group of PA members, headed by S.B. Dissanayake. But Ranil Wickremesinghe couldn’t consolidate power and continue.

A: Yes, we were under the iron fist of Chandrika Kumaratunga and we couldn’t sometimes get out Cabinet papers passed. She didn’t allow some of our progressive measures to see the light of day.

Q: In that case, why didn’t you bring an impeachment motion against her?

A: In fact, it was suggested by some of our members, but our leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe, being a true democrat that he is didn’t resort to such political tactics to retain power.

Q: Though you say so, the main allegation against him by your own party members is that he is highly undemocratic in performing his duties as the party leader. That is the main reason why they clamour for a change in the leadership. What have you got to say about it?

A: Political democracy and maintaining party discipline are two different things. Please don’t get these two things mixed up. Wickremesinghe is a strict disciplinarian as well as a true democrat.

He never hesitates to take action against those who violate the party discipline.

You have to understand that even to run a small community centre in a remote village, the owner or caretaker should have some control over its workers. If the workers try to revolt against the owner, the centre will have to be closed down sooner or later.

Our party is a mammoth political force in the country and it cannot be compromised according to the whims and fancies of a handful of inexperienced politicians.

Q: Although you claim your party to be a great force, its performance has been pathetic during the last few years and your reformist group points the finger at the incumbent leadership for this downfall.

A: Well, let me put the facts straight. The gradual erosion of our party commenced in late 1989 with the sidelining of Lalith Athulathmudali and Gamini Dissanayake by former President Ranasinghe Premadasa.

A group led by those two broke away from us which dealt a fatal blow to the party. The SLFP (Sri Lanka Freedom Party) was virtually in the political doldrums then and even their party headquarters were closed.

The LTTE eliminated most of our great leaders and we were badly weakened politically. This is natural in any party immediately after losing a number of stalwarts.

However, we maintained a substantial percentage of votes until the greatest betrayal of 17 members headed by Karu Jayasuriya who crossed over to the Government spelling out lame excuses.

That was the greatest debacle suffered by our party which eventually led to the total demoralisation of the grass roots level membership.

In the meantime, President Mahinda Rajapaksa managed to eliminate terrorism with the support of the valiant security forces, which had been a cancer to the country for over two and a half decades.

And the people irrespective of petty party politics, voted this Government to power for a further period.

Q: Now that terrorism is eliminated, all political parties can carry out their political activities without fear or favour in all areas of the country. Even with the dawn of peace, the UNP experienced a further debacle at the recently concluded LG polls.

Since then the reformist group members have been aggressively agitating against the leadership, demanding an immediate change in the leadership.

We see meetings, press conferences and many other activities taking place everyday, requesting or demanding a change in the leadership which is not in the interests of the party or its membership. Recently, Karu Jayasuriya openly expressed his desire to vie for the leadership of the party, to save it from further erosion.

He said he has been requested by Mahanayake Theras and a large number of party loyalists in the country in addition to his political colleagues to take over the leadership and guide the party to victory at a future election. Do you think Jayasuriya can do that?

A: Karu Jayasuriya is trying to create further division in the party.

No doubt, he too will have a handful of inexperienced political hands under his wings. People judge politicians by their previous political conduct, their degree of commitment to the party and to the country and their seniority in party. I do not know if he possesses any of these qualifications.

That is exactly why I claim myself to be a better qualified person than Jayasuriya for the leadership and not because I am interested.

Why don’t the senior members intervene and try to sort out these problems for the larger interest of the party and its poor membership, who is crestfallen over these conflicts among the top brass?

A: We are in a constant process of settling matters amicably and coming to a consensus before the next convention.

I am sure everything will be alright and soon we may bounce back to power.