Ranil under pressure to step down

The country's main Opposition party - the United National Party (UNP) is set to undergo many changes after its latest election defeat but the main demand of the party's rebel parliamentarians - a change in the party leadership, is highly unlikely.

Ranil reinstated former deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya to the UNP Working Committee, days after the party’s election debacle. But Karu rejected the offer, stating that he cannot come back to the Working Committee when the others removed from the committee along with him stay out.

As expected, the UNP Reformist group, led by former deputy leader Sajith Premadasa, intensified their campaign to remove party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe after UNP's 27th successive election defeat. Sajith even went to the extent of claiming that he could lead UNP to victory at a future presidential election if he is appointed the party leader.

But the Ranil loyalists hit back strongly and challenged Sajith that he should first contest the next Southern Provincial Council election as the UNP's chief ministerial candidate and prove his metal.

Sajith tactically evaded the issue of contesting the next Southern Provincial Council as the UNP group's chief ministerial candidate and said that he is aiming at much higher things.

He said when the entire UNP membership is requesting him to become the party leader and then to become the next President, there is no point in becoming a chief minister. Sajith continued to daydream amidst the open challenge thrown by Ranil's confidants. There was a strong belief that the invitation to Sajith to become the Chief Ministerial candidate was masterminded by Mangala Samaraweera, knowing only too well that Sajith would suffer humiliating defeat at the UPFA stronghold.

Former UNP Galle District parliamentarian Vajira Abeywardene, known to be a diehard Ranil supporter, too came forward to support Sajith, if he takes the challenge in contesting the South as the UNP's chief ministerial candidate. The pressure on Sajith mounted when Vajira volunteered to contest the next Southern Provincial Council elections and lead the UNP group from the Galle District to support Sajith, if the Hambantota District UNP parliamentarian agreed to become the UNP's chief ministerial candidate.

Daya, Tissa on Sajith's daydreaming

Ampara District parliamentarian and UNP Treasurer Daya Gamage identified the reason for Sajith's reluctance to accept the challenge thrown - to contest the next Southern Provincial Council as UNP's chief ministerial candidate.

Bringing a classic example on how the SLFP-led People's Alliance bounced back by bringing Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga as its Western Province chief ministerial candidate in 1993, Gamage hit back at Sajith's negative approach.

Speaking at a media conference in Colombo last Sunday, Gamage challenged Sajith to prove his class before becoming the party leader. “He daydreams of becoming the UNP leader and boasts that he could put our party on the winning track. Then he must prove his credentials, his leadership qualities by taking up the challenge and winning the Southern Provincial Council as its chief ministerial candidate,” the UNP treasurer said.

He said Chandrika came to the limelight by stepping into the big league initially as the Chief Minister of the Western Province.

“She came forward at a difficult time and showed the SLPF the winning way by leading the People's Alliance to a landslide win. Her popularity increased tremendously since then. That was the starting point of the PA and UPFA's success. Sajith must do the same, if he wishes to continue claiming that he is of future leadership material,” he said.

Daya said Sajith is under an illusion and daydreams of UNP leadership. He questioned how people who even cannot run a betel shop properly could guide the UNP to victory.

On the following day, UNP General Secretary severely criticised UNP seniors who are day daydreaming of capturing party leadership. “Anybody could boast and dream of UNP leadership. Those who criticise our leader and allege that Ranil can't win, must come forward and prove their capabilities at the Provincial Council elections.

They must prove their claims. If he proves it, we all would agree that he is leadership material,” Attanayake said in an indirect reference to the former UNP deputy leader.

Tissa resigns from Kundasale

But Sajith gave a totally different and controversial twist to the latest development. Speaking at his Sasunata Aruna program meeting in Galgamuwa, Sajith alleged that Chandrika had a secret plan to contest the next Presidential election with the blessings of Ranil.

“Their plan is to demolish the UNP, put the party on a bad footing. Chandrika aims to capture power of the SLFP with Ranil's support. Their plan is to further deteriorate the UNP vote base and crossover to the SLFP,” Sajith was quoted as saying.

Sajith too has indirectly hit back at Mangala Samaraweera. “Those who were with Rajapaksa administration are now conspiring with Chandrika to capture power of the SLFP. These web mafia people must quit the UNP and return to their original SLFP, without buckling the progress of our party,” Sajith said in a hard-hitting speech.

The problems in the UNP that aggravated after the Provincial Council election defeat went from bad to worse with the resignation of party's General Secretary as UNP organiser for Kundasale. Initial reports said that UNP leader Ranil refused to accept the resignation.

However, UNP media spokesman Gayantha Karunathilaka said on Thursday that UNP Tissa's resignation as the Kundasale organiser has been accepted by the party leader.

He said Tissa Attanayake who was appointed to Parliament through the UNP's national list would act in the same capacity in the future.

“Attanayake had tendered his resignation as the Kundasale organiser. He has recommended several persons suitable to be appointed as the new organiser.

But the party will take a decision regarding the appointment in a few days”, Gayantha was quoted as saying.

Latest political gossip

The latest political gossip that did the rounds during the weekend was that a senior UNP parliamentarian is planning to crossover to the UPFA with the hope of becoming the chief ministerial candidate for the next Southern Provincial Council election which are like to be held early next year.

However, he rejected such claims when his UNP parliamentary colleagues queried whether he was trying to emulate Dayasiri Jayasekera.

On Friday, the Treasurer of the UNP Senarath Kapukotuwa tendered his resignation to pave the way for party reforms. Kapukotuwa handed over his letter of resignation to party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday morning.

“I decided to resign from the post to clear the way for effective reforms of the party. I did the same in 2004 when I was the general Secretary of the party at that time.

I have done the same this time as well for the betterment of the party,” he was quoted as saying.

Reports said that UNP national organiser, Daya Gamage too had informed that he was willing to resign from his post if a suitable replacement was found, a claim even made by none other than UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

He too said he is willing to step down from the UNP leadership if a suitable replacement is found.

But UNP reformists alleged that it was another ploy by Ranil amidst mounting pressure from UNP Reformists who demand an immediate change in the party leadership. A UNP parliamentarian close to Sajith said all those so-called resignations are mere gimmicks and the same persons would be reappointed to the same posts, stating there are no suitable replacements.

President arrives at Mattala from US

President Mahinda Rajapaksa ended his week-long tour of the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly and returned to the country last Wednesday. Unlike on previous occasions, he did not arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport at Katunayake. Instead, he chose the country's second international airport and he had a special reason for that.

The President and his delegation arrived at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), directly from the US. Several ministers, parliamentarians and the newly-elected provincial council members were among them at the MRIA to greet the President.

Among them was the newly-elected Central Provincial Council member, Anuradha Jayaratne, the son of Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne who polled the highest number of preferential votes for the UPFA from the Kandy District. He greeted the President and thanks for the support extended at the September 21 polls. “You have a long way to go and a bright future in politics if you work hard,” he told Anuradha.

The President then went directly to Kataragama to pay his last respects to the late Chief Incumbent of Kirivehera Rajamaha Viharaya and Uva Wellassa University Chancellor, Ven. Dr. Aluthwewe Soratha Thera who passed away at a private hospital last weekend.

The Ven. Dr. Soratha Thera was the Chief Sanghanayake of Ruhunu Magampattuwa. The President was accompanied by several members of his delegation that toured New York and politicians who came to MRIA to receive him.

At the time of the demise Ven. Dr. Aluthwewe Soratha Thera was the Monaragala District Sasanarakshaka Bala Mandalaya President and Chief Sanghanayake of Ruhunu Magam Pattuwa. Kataragama Devalaya remained closed to the public for four days until Tuesday as a mark of respect.

The funeral took place at Ranjith Madduma Bandara playground at Kataragama new town on Wednesday.

Namal to create history

Hambantota District UPFA Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa will create history when he leads the Sri Lanka national rugby team. He will become the first sitting Parliament member to lead a Sri Lanka national sports team. Perhaps, this could well be even a world record in rugby history.

The former Sri Lanka under-19 and S. Thomas’ captain Namal has been a regular member of the national team since leaving college. Namal replaces his brother Yoshitha as Sri Lanka’s national rugby captain ahead of the Serendib International Cup 2013 to be played in Sri Lanka later this month, as preparation for next year's Asian Five Nations tournament.

Yoshitha, who represents Sri Lanka Navy Sports Club, was severely injured at a practice session recently and will most probably miss the entire season this year. The IRB-rated tri-nations event will also feature Sri Lanka, Poland and Madagascar. All matches will be played at the Colombo Racecourse Ground from October 26 to November 1.

“We are lucky to have Namal Rajapaksa represent our country as captain. Namal has excelled in rugby from school days as he was the captain of S. Thomas in 2005, he then went on to play for the national team as well as the Sri Lanka Navy” Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union President Asanga Seneviratne told a news conference last week.

Dayasiri, Sarath take oaths as CMs

Former UNP parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekera and ex-Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake were sworn in as Chief Ministers of the North Western and Central Provinces before President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday.

Jayasekera resigned from the United National Party on July 24 this year to contest the North Western Provincial Council election on the UPFA ticket. He succeeded in breaking former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's record for the highest number of preferential votes in a Provincial Council election by obtaining 336,327 votes.

Anuradha Jayaratne and Johan Fernando will be appointed Chief Organizers of the ruling party in the Central and North Western Provincial Council at the first meeting of the council.

Jayaratne, son of Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne polled the highest number of preferential votes of 107,644 from the Central Province while Johan Fernando, son of Internal Trade an Cooperatives Minister Johnston Fernando obtained the second highest number of preferential votes (134,433) from the North Western Province at the Provincial Council elections.

The new ministers of these provinces also took oaths before President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Chief Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera will also function as Minister of Finance and Planning, Law and Order, Local Government and Provincial Administration, Human Resources, Education and Cultural Affairs, Lands Environment Tourism, Investment Coordination, Cooperative Development and Food Supply and Distribution.

The other four Ministers of the North Western Provincial Council are K. Sanath Nishantha Perera, Sandya Samantha Kumara Rajapaksa, Gunadasa Dehigama and Dharmasiri Bandara Herath.

Sarath Ekanayake who was re-appointed as the Central Province Chief Minister, will also act as the Provincial Minister of Finance and Planning, Law and order, Local government and provincial administration, human resources, education and cultural affairs, lands, tourism , investment coordination, trade and commerce and food supply and distribution. The other four ministers appointed to the Central PC are B.S Bandara Yalegama, Ramasamy Muttiah, Ediriweera Weerawardena and Pramitha Bandara Thennakoon.

Sampanthan meets President

TNA leader R. Sampanthan met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on Friday morning, for the first time since the former Tiger proxy party won last month's Northern Provincial Council (NPC) elections.

It is learnt that Sampanthan had discussed about the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected members of the NPC before President Rajapaksa.

The meeting took place days after Chief Minister elect of the Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran received his letter of appointment as the Chief Minister of the Province from Governor of the Northern Province Major General (Rtd) G. A. Chandrasiri in Jaffna on Tuesday.

The TNA said that retired Supreme Court Judge Wigneswaran will take oaths before the President as the Chief Minister at Temple Trees tomorrow (7). TNA spokesman and parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran said the Chief Minister-elect will take oaths before the President, following Friday’s discussions between the President and Sampanthan. The new ministers and TNA councillors of the NPC will take oaths before Wigneswaran in Jaffna on Friday (11).

However, problems within the constituent parties of the Tamil alliance - the ITAK, has worsened after their election victory in the North. TULF leader V. Anandasangaree has been overlooked for one of the two bonus seats of the TNA.

Confusion continues as consensus evades even in Wednesday's meeting for the second time in a row within the TNA, to reach an understanding on the selection of Ministers for the Northern Provincial Council.

Representatives of the TNA's five constituent parties met at the TNA Colombo Headquarters at Bambalapitya. It was presided over by its TNA parliamentarian and party leader R. Sampanthan.

For the second successive time, TULF leader Anandasangaree boycotted the TNA representatives’ group meeting. But the TNA might give one of the bonus seats to the TULF to retain Anandasangaree and his men in the Tamil coalition.

The three-hour meeting ended without arriving at any decision regarding the allocations of the NPC ministerial slots and the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the NPC.

Earlier Sampanthan had told Siththarthan, leader of the PLOTE to take up the position of Chairman of the Northern Provincial Council as he is an ex-parliamentarian and an experienced person. But Siddarthan has turned down the offer, demanding a ministerial berth.

The ITAK has demanded two ministerial slots and the balance two ministerial positions to be allocated to the other four constituent parties of the TNA. Although the TULF could get a bonus seat, it is doubtful whether its nominee would be able to stake a claim for any position.

However, the other three parties besides ITAK and TULF, will have share the two remaining ministerial posts.

Wigneswaran had suggested at the meeting that the TNA members-elect who are aspiring for positions to submit their curriculum vite so that he could choose the most qualified and experienced persons.

But his suggestion was immediately shot down by the other three party representatives who demanded a slot in the ministerial berth for each of their candidates.