Chandrika dominates joint Opposition’s campaign

The so-called common Opposition’s election campaign was like an opening of a soda bottle. They talked big and projected an impressive picture that they would get more than 40 ministers and UPFA parliamentarians to support Maithripala Sirisena.

But it ultimately turned a cropper as Maithripala’s greatest betrayal could attract just five others. Despite repeated plea and lucrative cash bonanza offered, the Maithripala camp could not woo support of any more UPFA parliamentarians or ministers, except for Naveen Dissanayake.

Naveen’s crossover was nothing new as he was one of the 17 UNP parliamentarians who joined the Government with his father-in-law Karu Jayasuriya to topple the last UNP government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. That was the greatest betrayal a UNP stalwart could ever do and Karu did so in his greed for a ministerial portfolio.

But Karu later went back to the UNP without the 16 UNP seniors who were not willing to leave President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Even his son-in-law Naveen was not willing to listen to Karu at that time. Karu’s betrayal made the two sons of the late Gamini Dissanayake – Naveen and Mayantha join the UPFA.

However Mayantha later went back to the UNP and ever since, many expected Naveen to follow his younger brother. Hence, Naveen’s return to his old party is nothing to crow about and will have little or no impact on the UPFA vote base in Nuwara Eliya.

However, Naveen’s arrival has disturbed the UNP leadership. Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has been engaged in a long battle for the party leadership with Sajith Premadasa, will have added problems with Naveen’s arrival as he too could boast that his late father had been a stalwart and a Presidential election candidate of the party.

Ranil is not the only one who is disturbed by Naveen’s return. Among the others who have got panicky is UNP deputy leader Sajith Premadasa. Although Sajith has not openly shown his displeasure, Sirikotha sources confirmed that a cold war has already begun.

But in order to send a different message to the public, Sajith was seen extending an extraordinary warm welcome to Naveen.

Chandrika’s vicious and malicious look

Anybody who has even a simple knowledge in politics knows that it is former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga who has been playing the leading role in bringing Maithripala Senanayake as the common Opposition candidate for next month’s Presidential election.

From the moment in obtaining satellite phones from a Western diplomatic mission in Colombo, Chandrika has put a lot of efforts, not because of she loves Maithripala but because she want to take revenge from her successor.

Chandrika’s vicious and malicious look was evident from her face, acts and statements. The manner in which rose both her hands gave fresh memories of a false promise made by her in 1988.

She performed a similar ‘act’ before her slain husband Vijaya Kumaratunga’s coffin when she and two other leftist leaders formed the United Socialist Alliance in 1988, promising to take actor turned politician Vijaya’s vision forward.

But she fled to London, leaving the Sri Lanka Mahajana Party (SLMP) supporters. It is the same vicious lady that is now doing her rounds in a desperate bid to capture power at the expense of poor Maithripala.

Perhaps, that may be the reason for President Mahinda Rajapaksa to identify Chandrika and her team with Mangala as his main rival at the next Presidential election when she is not even a candidate.

“My main challenger at the election would be Chandrika. Chandrika-Mangala alliance is playing the cards. Maithripala is nowhere in the picture and Ranil is just an onlooker. This is not the first time that she is working to beat me. She first tried that in 2005 and then even at the 2010 Presidential election, she worked against me,” the President said during his monthly breakfast meeting with newspaper editors and other media heads at Temple Trees on Friday.

“But Ranil is the best candidate out of the three because only he has a party machinery. He many have lost so many elections but he is the best person who could give me a good fight at present,” President Rajapaksa added.

Maithripala’s pigeon falls on ground

The inaugural meeting of the common candidate Maithripala Sirisena was held at his home town of Polonnaruwa last Sunday. But a very bad omen was witnessed at the beginning of the meeting a white pigeon had been released to the atmosphere by the common candidate Maithripala Sirisena which had instead of flying away had fallen on to the ground.

Faces of all those who were on the stage had become gloomy had looked at one another thinking it was a bad omen to the start of the presidential elections campaign.

Maithripala is facing a tough time in organising rallies and attracting crowds in an organised manner due to infighting in the UNP. Maithripala’s second election rally at Matara last week was a big failure due to Mangala’s attempts to settle score with his political rivals.

UNP deputy leader Sajith Premadasa and Matara District UNP parliamentarian Buddhika Pathirana were sidelined from Maithripala’s Matara rally.

Mangala began a fresh battle with Sajith and Tissa after Maithripala announced that Ranil would be appointed Prime Minister after 100 days if he wins the election. But Attanayake contradicted it and said that executive powers of the President would be transferred to Prime Minister within 24 hours.

Mangala then rejected Attanayake’s statement by saying that the Executive Presidency would though some powers would be transferred.

Maithripala’s ‘dream government’ confuses all

None in the so-called common Opposition seems to be aware who would govern in case Maithripala wins the election – not even Maithripala himself. What Maithripala had said when his name was announced as the joint Opposition has been contradicted by many, including Mangala and Tissa

Initially, Maithripala said that a new voting system will be introduced alongside the abolition of the Executive Presidency within 100 days after coming to power. The new electoral system, according to the MoU which was signed between the parties of the common opposition, will provide for the just representation of all communities and political opinions and will be a mix of the first-past-the-post system, which ensures that every electorate has its own Member of Parliament, and proportional representation.

Political observers said that Chandrika would undoubtedly take control even if Maithripala wins and take Mangala’s team in the UNP, kicking Ranil and Sajith out. It is still not clear as to how the SLFP defectors are planning take control of the key decision making bodies of the party.

Although they have boasted to attract over 40 government parliamentarians, they have managed to get only Naveen Dissanayake since Maithripala had left with five others including Rajitha Senaratne.

President’s breakfast meeting with media heads

President Rajapaksa had his monthly breakfast meeting with the newspaper editors and media heads at the Temple Trees on Friday. He said that former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was his key opponent and not common candidate Maithripala Sirisena.

“Chandrika Kumaratiunga is the main contender in the race and she is using Maithripala. The opposition leader is on another side,” the President said.

Commenting on the conduct of the former President, the President said Chandrika was acting with vengeance. “She has a valid reason to be like that as I did many things she could not even imagine,’ the President said adding that he does not even feel any 'election heat' at the moment.

When asked about the SLFP defectors who push for the abolition of Executive Presidency, President Rajapaksa said they did not utter a word about the Executive Presidency when they were in the government, either in the Cabinet, the parliamentary group meetings or at the SLFP meetings.

“Only Wasantha Senanayake voiced his opinion on the matter and he was talking about curtailing powers of the Executive Presidency,” the President said.

“We never rake revenge from any person, like the United National Party. Still, there are many people working at Temple Trees who were hired during the tenure of President Kumaratunga. Even the one who served tea for you had been employed during her time,” President Rajapaksa said.

President explains what he meant by ‘files’

President also expressed his views on the controversial statement over ‘files’, saying what he meant was totally different from what the media had thought. “You people in media have misunderstood what I had said.

What could I do if you had not picked what exactly I had meant?” he asked.

The President said his remark was being misinterpreted in various ways. “There are many kinds of files.

Even the Cabinet gets various types of files, ministers sent various Cabinet papers in files. It was those files sent by the Ministers that I was referring to,” the President said.

When asked whether he had any regrets over going for an early election, the President scoffed at the question. “Not at all! Why should I? I fact I am delishted to go before people once again,” he said, adding that he has already 'sacrificed' one year in office.

The President said he was quote familiar with different types of conspiracies more than anyone else as he grew up in ‘Shrawasti’. “Even from my school days, I have seen those conspiracies,. I have seen MPs and Ministers conspire from my childhood” he added referring to some incidents that took place in 1964 when the late Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s government was toppled by crossovers.

Commenting on y Maithripala’s remarks that he is still the legitimate General Secretary of the SLFP, the President said that one could find such people living in a world of theirs at Angoda too.

Anura Yapa got gastritis due to Chandrika

The new General Secretary of SLFP, Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa told the President’s media heads’ meeting that he came down with gastritis as former President had never been punctual.

He said that he had developed gastritis during the Chandrika’s tenure as the President ad they had to skip meals or eat short eats while waiting for her for hours.

“Food had to be given when we had to wait for more than three hours because of her delay to attend meetings. I even got gastritis after eating so much short eats while waiting for her,” the minister said.

When the President was having breakfast with the media heads and ministers, an editor noticed Minister Nimal Siripala having hoppers. “Another Minister is eating hoppers with the President,” one editor said making an indirect reference to Maithripala eating hoppers for breakfast on the day

before he betrayed the leader to become the common candidate.

“I have stopped eating hoppers since that incident. Even at home I now avoid eating hoppers,” Minister Anura Yapa said.

Ranjan plays to the gallery

UNP parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake had been caught red-handed for calling during a live political debate on television and talking under a false name – Matara Sunil. Pretending to be an ordinary listener from Matara, Ramanayake made use of the opportunity to sling mud at Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage who quickly spotted that it was a bogus caller.

An irate minister walked off from the debate, alleging that the TV station was biased and the moderator lavishly gave ample time to the caller to character assassinate him.

The Sports Minister lodged a complaint with the police on the same night against the caller who had made defamatory remarks against him.

The police later found that the mobile from the controversial call had been initiated is registered under Ranjan Ramanayake’s name.

The minister had mentioned in his complaint that an investigation should be carried out against the caller and that he was expecting to file a defamatory case against the person, police said. Ramanayake had told a weekend paper that it is common that people write to newspapers under different pen names and that he too had to perform a similar act as the TV channel would not have given him a chance had he identified him.

But Ramanayake said that it was up to the CID to prove who the controversial 'Matara Sunil' was him.

Investigation on Naveen’s statement

Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said last week that the Criminal Investigation Department had launched an investigation into the alleged statement by former minister Naveen Dissanayaka that he was offered some Rs. 100 million to stay in the government.

“The statement made by Naveen Dissanayake was damaging to the government, so the government has lodged a complaint with the CID asking it to launch an investigation into the claim,” he said.

“I am not sure whether he has been offered that sum. That is why we have asked for an investigation into the claims. Everything will be come out after that,” he said. Meanwhile, former minister Rajitha Senaratne’s residence at Hettimulla in Beruwala had been burgled last week and goods worth more than Rs. 100,000 was stolen.

The security guard at the house lodged a complaint with the Beruwala Police last week that some files, an iPod and a tablet PC were among the stolen goods. Police said most of the time the house was left unoccupied.

Chandrika, Ruwan battle for honours

It is an undisputed fact that the LTTE terrorism was defeated due to the unmatched political sagacity of President Rajapaksa. Although the Security Forces played the most crucial role with immense sacrifices, they could not have accomplished that task if there had not been a strong political leadership to protect them from international conspiracies to halt the advancement of the forces.

But now, there seems to be many quarters attempting to grab that honour. Former President Chandrika said last week that 75 percent of the battle had been won during her time and that President Rajapaksa was left with only 25 percent to end terrorism. But she did not utter a word on many security forces camps that were overrun by the LTTE, including Mullaitivu army camp where over 1,200 soldiers alone were killed.

UNP National Youth Front President and Parliamentarian Ruwan Wijewardene too joined Chandrika in claming honours for the military success. Ruwan said that all arms and ammunition to destroy the LTTE were purchased during the previous UNP regime.

Speaking during the Western Province Convention of the UNP National Youth Front in Colombo yesterday, Ruwan said this was the reality though the UNP was accused of having a rapport with the LTTE.

He said the UNP did not have anything to do with the LTTE in the past and will not have anything to do with them in the future as well.

US Embassy rejects bribe charges

The US Embassy in Colombo rejected the allegations by Minister Gunaratne Weerakoon that he was offered a ‘bribe’ by outgoing US Ambassador Michele Sison.

Commenting on the allegations, US Embassy said that the allegations were baseless and they reflected a fundamental misunderstanding of their engagement with senior government officials and their policy towards Sri Lanka as well as the US political and economic system.

It also said the Ambassador Sison met with President Rajapaksa, Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris and other senior government officials this week, and they congratulated her on strengthening their bilateral relationship.

Resettlement Minister Guneratne Weerakoon had told a political meeting in Aranwela recently that he was offered a ‘bribe’ by outgoing US Ambassador Sison and he had recordings of the discussion.