The many vicissitudes of the UNP

By Jaliya WIJEYEKOON

D.S. Senanayake

All democratic political parties, not only in Sri Lanka, but in other countries too, have experienced ups and downs during their existence. The first registered political party in Sri Lanka is the Lanka Sama Samja Party which was founded by the Late Dr. N.M. Perera and his colleague. It soon took root in the country since Dr. Perera managed to indoctrinate his political philosophy to the down-trodden masses.

The United National Party (UNP) was formed by D.S. Senanayake in 1946; he enjoyed the support of all community leaders of the State Council who represented the Ceylon National Congress.

The name 'United National Party' was chosen for this new political party since all community leaders of the State Council were united and unconditionally supported D.S. Senanayake.

The progressive measures taken by the United National Party for agricultural development, inter communal harmony and mostly for the independence and sovereignty of the nation proved to be very successful.

The island's first general election was held under the Soulbury Constitution in 1947 and D.S. Senanayeke elected Prime Minister under the United National Party banner.

Many disagreements

The country's most significant achievement under the first UNP regime was gaining independence on February 4, 1948 from the colonial bondage of over 13 decades.

Dudley Senanayake

The United national Party became firmly rooted in the country due to its development activities while the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) Leader Dr. N.M. Perera functioned as the first Opposition Leader, instigating the working class people to revolt against all progressive activities of the government.

The LSSP established themselves in certain areas of the country, especially in the Sabaragamuwa Province in which Dr. Perera launched his Marxist political movement.

D.S. Senanayake passed away in 1951, after a fall from his horse while on his regular exercises at Galle Face Green. His eldest son, Dudley Senanayake, who was the Minister of Agriculture then, was appointed by Lord Soulbury as Prime Minister over an understanding he had with D.S. Senanayake.

Sir John Kotelawala was not very happy with this arrangement and had disagreements with Dudley Senanayake on various issues.

Dudley Senanayake, a Cambridge scholar and a mild mannered politician, immediately dissolved the Parliament and went for an election. The UNP recorded a convincing victory, obtaining over a two-third majority under the leadership of Dudley Senanayake. By this time, the UNP had consolidated its position in all parts of the country. Dudley Senanayake continued for two more years and faced many confrontations with Sir John Kotalawala who was anxiously eyeing the Premiership.

S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, who was the then Leader of the House, broke away from the United national Party and formed the Sri Lanka Freedom Party(SLFP) which rapidly gained ground in the political arena with his political ideology which correctly mobilised the five forces, viz. Buddhist priests, native physicians, teachers, farmers and manual workers.

Sir John Kotelawala

Dudley Senanayake's health deteriorated with an unending stream of problems and he stepped down from the leadership and retired from politics, paving the way for Sir John to take over the reigns of the party and the country.

Sir John Kotelawala, a militant personality and a rigid and stubborn administrator, confronted everybody who opposed him including the Mahasangha. The UNP membership was not happy with the way he ruled the country and the government, under Sir John's leadership, became unpopular even before the completion of the Parliamentary term. A general election was held in 1956 and the UNP was reduced to a mere eight members in the house. The SLFP-led coalition formed a government under the able leadership of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike.

Bandaranaike made Sinhala the official language within 24 hours amidst objections from various quarters and restructured a number of institutions based on his political ideology. Some of Bandaranaike's policies were vehemently criticised by the Opposition which claimed that he was adopting an anti-imperialist stand which would result in offending the friendly Western nations.

Political landscape

With the passage of time, governments changed from term to term, between the UNP and SLFP-led coalitions until 1977 when J.R. Jayawardene completely revolutionised the political landscape of Sri Lanka with the introduction of the Executive Presidency and the preferential voting system for all elections.

Jayewardene was an astute politician with an ocean of knowledge in all spheres of ruling the state. Past election records had proved that the UNP vote base had remained almost intact, even at the worst defeats suffered by the party. Hence, the introduction of the system would help the UNP to remain in power continuously.

J.R. Jayawardene

As expected by Jayewardene, everything was perfectly al right during his tenure as far as the subsequent elections were concerned. President Jayewardene also had a number of able lieutenants under his wings on whom he entrusted mega development projects, administrative functions party development activities, international affairs and even trade union activities.

None of his subordinates challenged him on any of his programs. The one and only minister who disagreed with him was Gamini Jayasuriya who opposed the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord and stepped down from his Ministerial portfolio on this basis and retired from politics.

J.R.J. retired from politics after completing his two terms and his term of office goes down in Sri Lanka's history as one of the most progressive periods in respect of socio-economic development in the country. The United National Party was well consolidated with its political activities and all other Opposition parties, including the SLFP, were virtually driven to political doldrums.

SLFP leader, Sirimavo Bandaranaike's leadership was challenged by her son Anura Bandaranaike and the party had disintegrated into a number of factions, such as the Anura group, Sirima group Maitripala group and Kobbekaduwa group. A number of small parties were aligned with these different groups from time to time. A new party was formed by Chandrika and Vijaya Kumaratunga along with some leftaway parties; it was named Mahajana Pakshaya and was formed to challenge the Anura group.

After President Jayawardene retired from politics, Ranasinghe Premadasa became the President and the leader of the United National Party.

Political blunder

Although President Premadasa was an experienced and practical politician, he made a political blunder by side lining stalwarts such as Lalith Athulathmudali, Gamini Dissanayake and G.M. Premachandra. They joined hands with the Opposition and brought an impeachment motion against President Premadasa.

Ranasinghe Premadasa

However, Premadasa managed to weather the political storm though it was the beginning of the collapse of the hitherto well consolidated United National Party.

Ranil Wickremesinghe was the Minister of Science and Industries in the Premadasa Cabinet and he fully supported his leader when his position was challenged by the breakaway group. Wickremesinghe always stood by his leader, following the democratic principles of politics. He was also persuaded by the breakaway group to join them, but he turned down this request since he was a true loyalist and committed democrat.

President Premadasa was assassinated on May 1, 1993 by the LTTE and the then Prime Minister D.B. Wijethunga was elected President by the party. It was admirable to see how Wickremesinghe handled the transition of power from behind the curtain, without letting the unruly masses create a chaotic situation in the country.

However, the United National Party experienced a gloomy period in its history, mainly owing to LTTE terrorism, losing most of its prominent leaders within a span of less than two years, and the entire grass roots level membership remained crest fallen.

By this time, the SLFP had received a new lease of life with Chandrika Kumaratunga taking centre stage in politics and the United National Party, which had remained in power for 17 long years, lost the 1994 general election. President Kumaratunga completed her two terms amidst many political hicups, but the SLFP managed to re-establish its vote base islandwide fairly successfully.

Ranil Wickremesinghe

Mahinda Rajapaksa managed to scrape through to the Presidency at the 2005 elections with a marginal majority. However, as a patient and experienced politician, he consolidated his position and defeated the long-drawn LTTE terrorism admirably, which helped him win his second term quite comfortably. The entire social fabric remained in total disarray for over two decades due to the LTTE menace and the moderate voter, irrespective of party differences, voted President Rajapaksa to continue for a further term.

Consecutive defeats

With the consecutive defeats suffered by the UNP, Wickremesinghe's leadership in the party was challenged by Hambantota district Parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa who wanted amendments to the party Constitution.

His campaign against the leadership gathered momentum and a handful of young vociferous, inexperienced and impatient Parliamentarians and provincial councillors rallied round him with the intention of ousting Wickremesinghe from the leadership.

However, at the Working Committee meeting, Premadasa settled down for the Co-Deputy Leader's post in the party along with Karu Jayasuriya to the utter dismay and disappointment of his reformist group members. Dayasiri Jayasekera then made a public statement that he would not back anybody to be the leader in future and would only work for the betterment of the party.

The leadership tussle was suppressed for a short period and flared up once again after the last Local Government election results.

Sajith Premadasa

Jayasuriya, who had accompanied 17 UNP members and crossed over to the Government and returned to the party empty-handed was again welcomed by the party hierarchy in keeping with his political maturity and democratic policies. Jayasuriya was even re-appointed Deputy Leader. Reformist group members headed by Premadasa then promoted Jayasuriya to contest the leadership. Jayasuriya immediately launched a campaign with the support of some bhikkhus and some members in the reformist group.

With the promulgation of results of the election for these top posts, Siri Kotha, the UNP party headquarters were attacked by goons, supposed to be the followers of the reformists.

No UNP would have ever endorsed this type of savage, uncouth and barbaric acts and the entire grass roots level membership is now extremely disappointed and unreservedly expect party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to take disciplinary action against anybody and everybody who was directly or indirectly involved in this dastardly act which has tarnished the image of the beloved Grand Old Party.

Main allegation

The main allegation of the reformist group members is that the reason for the consecutive defeat of the party at elections is the leadership of Ranil Wickremesinghe. They claim that with a change in leadership the party would bounce back to power. These foolish utterances are made by inexperienced unpractical and short-sighted politicians who have no deep understanding of the ground realities of the political arena.

Daya Gamage

The need of the hour is not to blame each other or find fault with anybody over lapses which had occurred in the past. It is doubtful whether the main Opposition party is interested in winning power even at a future election at the rate unfortunate things take place in the party mechanism. Now that the party's top positions have been filled, everybody should unite, shedding all differences aside and work for future victory of the party.

The UNP grass roots level membership has requested the reformist group members to extend their cooperation to the party leadership and launch an aggressive campaign against the ruling party.

Newly elected national Organiser Daya Gamage is confident of the party's future prospects. He expects to go right round the country and reunite all disintegrated fractions in the party to ensure a future victory.

With such courageous statements made by the UNP leaders, grass roots level membership is reminded of how J.R. Jayawardene mobilised the masses, amidst severe resistance from Sirimavo Bandaranaike's government in the late seventies.

It is no doubt, members believe, an uphill task, but with the correct approach and positive thinking maintaining strict discipline among the party leaders and with a solid, effective and viable program, achieving victory at a future election will not be difficult as the United National Party is hydra-headed.