Sunday Politics with Rasika Jayakody

Intrigue, incrimination, indignity - political scene hots up :

Bloemendhal the Thajudeen

The shooting incident at Kotahena on Friday, which claimed the life of a supporter of Minister Ravi Karunanayake, marred the peaceful nature of Parliamentary Elections 2015.

The incident, which took place at Kotahena, also left twelve people injured with two in critical condition. Police are conducting investigations on the attack and no conclusive statement has so far been made by the Police with regard to the perpetrators. Fingers have been pointed in various directions while Opposition politicians dub the incident as the outcome of ‘intra-party rivalry’.

However, the shooting incident has already given rise to speculation as it occurred just a few days after the Prime Minister said that the current Parliamentary election resembled elections in the UK.

There were suspicions among some sections of the UNP camp as to whether it was an act aimed at giving the lie to the Premier’s observation.

Commenting on the outcome of the initial investigations, the Police Department said they would be able to identify the ‘real perpetrators’ behind the attack soon. According to police sources, there is evidence – including the lavish, slick style of operation - to suggest that a powerful underworld gang operating in Colombo had a direct involvement in the attack.

However, ‘intra-party rivalry’ is something that has already crippled the United People’s Freedom Alliance’s election campaign. Unlike in previous elections, the UPFA team is deeply divided into two groups - the ‘Pro-Rajapaksa’ and ‘anti-Rajapaksa’ factions. This division, however, is different from numerous other rivalries in the party over preferential votes.

The howling

Candidates who are supportive of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa have gone to the extent of organizing teams to howl and jeer at pro-Sirisena candidates whenever they appear on UPFA stages. While battling the enemies operating outside, most of the UPFA candidates have to wage war against enemies within their ramparts.

Not long after UPFA Matale District candidate Nandimithra Ekanayake was booed at a UPFA rally in his district, Minister Vijith Wijayamuni Soysa too faced a similar experience when he attended an election rally in the Moneragala district.

Nandimithra Ekanayake supported President Maithripala Sirisena during the Presidential election in January and Soysa was among the first group of SLFP Central Committee members who supported President Sirisena after the Presidential election.

At a press briefing at the President’s personal residence at Wijerama Mawatha, the Moneragala District ex-Parliamentarian made the famous appachchi malaa (Father is no more) statement referring to the defeat of the former President.

When the UPFA decided to grant nomination to Rajapaksa to contest from the Kurunegala District, the outspoken Parliamentarian did a u-turn and said appachchi was reborn. However, Soysa, who has been elected to Parliament since 1989, has a strong voter-base in the area and it is impossible to believe that party supporters will howl at him without a well-orchestrated plan.

Preferential war

There were reports that plans were afoot to howl at Minister Mahinda Samarsinghe during UPFA rallies in the Kalutara district. Samarasinghe positioned himself as a supporter of President Sirisena after the Presidential election and even accepted a ministerial portfolio from the national unity government. He was not in favour of the idea of fielding Rajapaksa as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the party. Therefore, Samarasinghe’s presence at UPFA events has become anathema to some UPFA stalwarts in the district.

It does not need a lot of wisdom to understand that there is a keen contest among members of the same party to find their way into the top slots in the preferential lists. As a result of the present electoral system, politicians are not hesitant to stoop to any level to secure their seats in Parliament, especially during times of election. Hostilities against Ekanayake, Soysa and Samaraweera take place as other candidates are trying hard to exploit this opportunity to tap into the estimated 5.8 million vote bank of the former President Rajapaksa which he secured at the last Presidential election.

They need to alienate all pro-Sirisena candidates to secure their places in the race. However, their true faces, colours and allegiances will be revealed on August 17, following the announcement of the election results.Speaking to a reporter on Friday, SLFP spokesman and national list candidate Dilan Perera said the party had launched an “internal inquiry on the hooting”.

The former Minister, who has a stained credibility when it comes to statements over affairs in the party, said ‘hooting’ was an act of their political rivals. Whether he meant ‘political rivals’ within the party or outside the party remained a question! Meanwhile UNP organizers, thriving on the cohesion of their most dynamic election campaign in years, were quietly derisive over the turmoil in the rival blues camp.