UNP's deputy leadership a mere dream

by Anura Maitipe

The deputy leadership in the UNP is the most uncertain post on the face of the earth.The UNP leaders in the past have also promised this post to various members at different occasions and now offered to Mangala Samaraweera by the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The deputy post in the UNP was a mere dream. As there is no provision in the Constitution for this post. This post was not mentioned either in present Constitution or in the past Constitutions. The post mentioned in the Constitution was "the Leader of the House" but not the deputy leader.The dreamy post of the deputy leader emerged in the Sri Lankan politics just after the General Election held in 1947.

In this election the UNP had secured only 42 seats and the UNP was not in a position to form a government by itself.

In this context, the then Member of the Parliament H. Sri Nissanka came out with an alternative proposal to form a left oriented government with the help of a section of the UNP members and the members of Sinhala Maha Sabha.

The discussion had been held secretly at the residence of Sri Nissanka, "Yamuna". During this discussion they had agreed to nominate S.W.R.D Bandaranaike as their Prime Ministerial candidate to form the government. The UNP leader D.S. Senanayake who felt the gravity of the situation made a counter proposal to S.W.R.D Bandaranaike to thwart the move made by Sri Nissanka and created this dreamy post of "the deputy leader" and offered it to Bandaranaike. In the book written by late Education Minister Bad-ud-din Mahmud "Ma Danna Bandaranaike" it was mentioned that D.S. Senanayake has said " "Banda, give this term to me and don't be in a hurry as I promise you will receive it in time and until then take the deputy leader post. On this agreement Bandaranaike has accepted the deputy post offered by D. S. Senanayake.

On this agreement D. S. Senanayake became the Prime Minister and S.W.R.D Bandaranaike became the Leader of the House. When D.S. Senanayake was not in the country then Bandaranaike was acting Prime Minister at all times. As it was mentioned in the Book "Ma Danna Bandaranaike" D.S. Senanayake on one hand offered the deputy post to Bandaranaike and on the other he had instructed the owner of Lake House to do everything possible to tarnish the political image of Bandaranaike.

At last Bandaranaike felt that it was not a realistic dream to become the Prime Minister through the UNP and he withdrew from the UNP and formed the SLFP in September 1951

After the withdrawal of Bandaranaike from the UNP the Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake offered the deputy leader post to Sir John Kotalawale. And while Kotalawale was holding this post D.S. Senanayake died in 1952. According to the agreement reached between D.S. Senanayake and Bandaranaike then it was the turn of Sir John to become the Prime Minister. But it was a mere dream. And Dudley Senanayake was appointed as Prime Minister by the Governor thereby Kotalawale losing his opportunity.

Again in the national government formed by Dudley Senanayake in 1965 C.P. de Silva was nominated as the deputy leader and J.R. Jayewardene as the State Minister but during the absence of Dudley Senanayake, it was J.R. Jayewardene who was acting Prime Minister but not the deputy leader C.P. de Silva throughout Dudley's term of the Premiership.

Under the leadership of Ranil Wickremesinghe this dreamy baby brought up by D.S. Senanayake was once offered to Karu Jayasuriya and again to S.B. Dissanayake. Now it has been offered to Mangala Samaraweera. Let us wait and see the whether Mangala will be able to fulfil his dream.