UNP's shabby treatment of Hashan drove us to SLFP, says wife

by A. Sumanasena - Kolonnawa Gr. Cor.

Hard-working and ambitious people have no place in the UNP. I was really disillusioned with its policies and therefore joined the SLFP ranks, said Apsari Sinhabahu Thilakaratne, wife of former Sri Lanka cricketer and Avissawella UNP organiser.

She was speaking at a press conference at the Omega Hotel, Gothatuwa explaining the reasons as to what led her to join the SLFP.

She said, "My husband Hashan Thilakaratne contested the Western Provincial Council elections in 2005 under the UNP ticket securing 34,000 preferential votes. This was due mainly to our families' firm dedication to serve the people. There were certain UNP Provincial Council leaders who had created internal rivalry and dissension among the party cadres".

There was a time when some people entertained fear even to speak to my husband, but it was only Rukman Senanayake and Ven.Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera who dared to speak on his behalf.

Although Hashan sacrificed his wealth and labour to ensure the political success of his party and also mobilised support for Arjuna Ranatunga's election campaign, the UNP leadership which gave in to the dictates of its district leaders became so ungrateful as to suddenly appoint a new organiser for Avissawella electorate depriving my husband of his legitimate claim.

In reply to a question from the media she said although her husband had asked the UNP leadership and its General Secretary that he be reappointed as organiser for Avissawella he was repeatedly called for interviews at "Siri Kotha" but nothing was done thereafter.

He turned down a party request to contest the forthcoming PC elections.

It tormented me many a time as to why this kind of shabby treatment is meted out to one who has brought fame to the country. Certain UNP leaders did not entertain attractive and robust personalities but favoured only the meek weaklings" , she said.

She said, "MP Thilanga Sumathipala who was in charge of formulating tsunami-hit children rehabilitation projects appointed Hashan for the task of early rehabilitating the tsunami victims. Hashan had toured Kilinochchi, Batticaloa, Tissamaharama and Matara. He had offered 1,000 scholarships to them and four of whom had been admitted to Reid College, London. That is how he discharged his duties. While being engaged in politics we were fully committed to social work, which the UNP never acknowledged. Consequently we were completely disenchanted with the party. Meanwhile a relation of mine, Ajith Subasinghe was appointed as a candidate to contest the forthcoming PC elections in Colombo district under the SLFP ticket.

When the Hambantota district MP Namal Rajapaksa addressed a meeting at Gothatuwa in support of Ajith Subasinghe, I expressed my consent to seek SLFP membership. My husband is in fact not aware of this as he was in Nuwara Eliya at that time", she said.

In reply to a question as to whether her husband would also join the SLFP as she did, Mrs. Thilakaratne hinted that perhaps he would. She said, "President Mahinda Rajapaksa always remained with us in times of difficulties.

He liked cricket a great deal and took the initiative in promoting cricket at Hambantota. Now I have decided to support his government which eradicated terrorism. Colombo district SLFP candidate Ajith Subasinghe said, "As a businessman I had come to know Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Hambantota district MP Namal Rajapaksa too are wellknown to me.

Politics is nothing new to me since I had been moving with them. My hope is to be elected to the Western Provincial Council with the blessings of President Rajapaksa and engage in gentlemanly politics.

Translated by Michael Kittampahuwa