|
|
|
| Sunday, 31 July 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
It's warm up time in big stakes politics Light Refractions by Lucien Rajakarunanayake
The implacable and sphinx-like silence of the Commissioner General of Elections is making the betting game all the more exciting. One wonders whether the Commissioner General is aware of how he is upping the stakes with each day of his silence. One can only hope he keeps his counsel to himself so as not to allow others in his department to do any insider dealing with some local bookies on the all important date of the much awaited political sprint. With the SLFP announcing Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse as its presidential nominee the race is now almost on, although the starter's pistol has not yet sounded and the competitors are still not at the starting blocks. The UNP no doubt thinks they had a handicap over Rajapakse, with their Jana Bala Meheyuma, which began with tears for the tsunami-affected and ended up with Ranil's call to hold the race sooner than others say it will be. It appears that apart from the weary feet of his supporters who walked even part of the way from Devundara to Colombo in the "Ranilge Bala Meheyuma", there was not much that Ranil gained from that walk of deceit. The much vaunted big handicap he expected from the allegations of fraud regarding tsunami relief funds against his would be rival at the time, and now his real rival indeed, has lost its initial thrust, however much sections of the media may try to flog what is fast becoming a dead horse. Ranil should now be looking for other colts to ride on in his warm up for the race. Ranil is a contestant in the coming race only because of his dogged reluctance to give up his post as party leader after 12 electoral defeats, in almost has many years. It is strange that the International Democratic Union, with its kangaroo pronouncements on Sri Lankan politics, had nothing to say of such clinging on to leadership in the face of repeated defeats. The Conservative Party in the UK which is also a member of the UDI, need not be in such crisis over the selection of a new leader, if only Michael Howard who led the party in its third successive defeat to Labour, only follows Ranil's example and remains leader despite defeat for the first time under his leadership. As it became evident that Mahinda Rajapakse would be the SLFP's presidential candidate, the UNP's warm up on the walls became more intense. A great deal of political mud began dirtying the walls of cities and suburbs, in a what seemed a desperate bid to make its grand strategy of labeling Mahinda Rajapakse as a corrupt politician stick and cause irreparable damage to his chances in the big race. If Ranil's persistence in denying defeat and failure in leadership is what has brought him to the race once again, it is a determination never to abandon the SLFP that has brought Rajapakse to the contest today. Many in leadership positions of the SLFP have left the party and returned, sometimes even to lead the party and its allies to victory. However, Mahinda has remained in the party, despite many trying circumstances that would have made others leave it. It is this capacity to stay with the party of which his father was a founder member, unwavering in times of crisis, which made him the unquestionable popular choice of the party to do the sprint to power against Ranil and his bruised elephants. The warm up that has now begun in earnest will certainly prove exciting. Whoever wins, the media will have a time of its own and profit by it too. Both sides will vie for the position of being the more successful manipulators of the media. Truth is bound to be pushed behind in many areas that the public now think important, and they will gladly acquiesce in such moves, knowing very well that the truth is too stark to be told. War and peace will echo and re-echo through the warm up, with lofty promises of peace to finally dawn, while both candidates and their parties keep a watchful eye on what that Sun God in the Vanni will be doing to influence the race. He could well do a war dance or two in the warm up days, and also ensure that come the day of the race, it is his armed worshippers who will decide how people in the North and many parts of the East will use their vote. This will make wooing the Tiger, or Tiger-baiting as some would like it said, a major strategy of both sides, with the coaches and managers spending sleepless nights trying to work out how such wooing or baiting while giving an advantage in the North & East, will not end up in folly in other regions. A matter of concern for Ranil and his trainers will be that Mahinda Rajapakse seeks the leadership for the first time as one who is not from the Western Province, and the Colombo or Gampaha Districts. He comes from the deep South, with feet firmly planted in the soil, and drawing strength from areas that were once red fortresses, and is still the base of radical politics outside the North & East. Being a son of the South, has already won him much favour, leading to an aura of pride among many southerners. But it will be no easy task to balance this in practice, with not offending those from the North & East. It will require an amalgam of deft moves on the practice track to build on the huge base he already has in the South, while carrying others too with him. The practice fields will be full of political and personal bargain hunters, as much as there will be contributors to the funds of both sides, just to be on the safe side, as it is said. We will all live in interesting days to come, with the UNP trying to expand its strength beyond its traditional supporters, of which they not too certain in the South, and the SLFP keen to hold to the players in the rural heartland and also woo the Tamils and Muslims. Meanwhile, one has to expect some interesting diversions from the quarters of the Red Brigades, who were in alliance with the SLFP until very recently, and also lays claim to political fortifications in the deep South from where Mahinda too hails. The impact of the tsunami will hover over the entire warm up season and final race. Adding to the beat of political drums this time round, there will also be the incessant tom-tom beat of p-toms, p-toms. So let's hope we can all enjoy the excitement of this intense warm up, after a long practice session and also that violence does not bloody the practice tracks. |
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
There's no news whether Ladbrookes, the London book makers, have opened
wagers on it, but many bets are already been placed here both on the outcome
of the presidential election and also on when it is held.