The internal crisis within the Joint Opposition (JO) has reached a climax since some JO front liners express contradictory views clearly reflecting a difference of opinion among members on their Presidential candidate 2020. Some JO members have let loose a barrage of criticism against the SLFP 16-member group who recently crossed over to the Opposition.
JO front liner and Democratic Left Front Leader MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara at a recent press briefing in Colombo categorically said that he doesn’t want to identify the socio economic programs pronounced by ‘Viyathmaga’ for the future of the country as that of the JO. MP Nanayakkara said that at present members are discussing the ways and means of presenting the JO’s own programme.
He said that ‘Viyathmaga’ has presented a programme of socio-economic importance aimed at the future of the country. It has a right to initiate such a dialogue.
However, the JO completely disassociates itself with attempts to present it as one of its programmes. Referring to the ‘Viyathmaga’ convention presented by Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo recently, Nanayakkara said the JO does not countenance that as that of the JO.
He said it is purely due to the lack of a principled policy framework for the JO to capture power, that organisations such as Viyathmaga are getting a foothold on society.
He described Viyathmaga’s international policy as one servile to US interests. In fact, we need an international policy based on non-aligned principles. Meanwhile, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader MP Udaya Gammanpila at a recent press briefing said some of those in the JO who find fault with the 16-member SLFP group joining hands with the JO, have failed to understand the true nature of politics.
“In other countries, if 16 Government MPs had crossed over to the Opposition, they would have been welcomed with garlands,” he said. Gammanpila said they need only 113 MPs to ‘send this Government home’. Of course, our position would have been stronger if we had another five more MPs in addition to the 16-member SLFP group. “We in the JO should clearly understand this reality. If somebody imagines that the SLFP 16-member group will undermine the JO group, it amounts to nothing but our own weakness. We are group of seasoned politicians with a long career in politics. We cannot move forward at all with old feuds afresh in us. Let us forget all our differences and go ahead to be sure of our victory,” Gammanpila said.
Asked whether the JO has fragmented into several groups as it has proposed three candidates for the Presidential Election, Gammanpila said they welcome such a division because the best candidate will emerge through the process of debating and arguing matters. Rather than proposing one name, three names would help entertain more views as a significant feature of democracy.
“We are sure of our own candidate whoever his rivals may be in the contest. Our worst candidate will be far better than the UNP’s best,” he said.