President Gotabaya Rajapaksa told the Heads of electronic and print media at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday (March 5) that the 19th Amendment to the Constitution is a hindrance in fulfilling the aspirations of the people and added that he is hoping to secure a two thirds majority at the upcoming General Election to install a stable Government to carry forward his policies.
Responding to a query by a media head whether the President hopes to abolish the 19th Amendment and implement the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, the President said that a single term is more than sufficient for him to execute his policies provided he is allowed to work during his full tenure in office. President Rajapaksa said there should be a clear demarcation of powers among the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary. Under the existing system, the people have elected an Executive President and expect him to deliver but if the Constitution doesn’t allow him to do so, what is the purpose of having such a Constitution? the President queried.
Asked whether he was satisfied with the performance of the administration during the first 100 days, the President said that he was not satisfied as it was not up to his standard. “We have done many things, but that is not sufficient. However, we are satisfied over most of the appointments made to public institutions. I would assess the performances of some appointees as I was not really happy. They have been given adequate time to prove their mettle, if they could not do so I will certainly remove them.”
The President also spoke about the stand taken by the National Election Commission with regard to enrolling graduates to the training program. He said the Presidential Secretariat would write to Election Commission Chairman, Mahinda Deshapriya on the suspension of the training of newly recruited graduates. “.Appointments have already been given and this was not done on the threshold of the election. I have included this in my manifesto as well. These appointments were given to those who are qualified irrespective of any political affiliations or based on parties where they came from. Similarly, there was no political motive on our part in making these appointments. It didn’t make any sense of what the Election Commissioner stood for. I don’t understand on what basis he asked not to train the graduates even after being recruited. “
Responding to another question, the President said he would attend the political rallies of the SLPP at the upcoming General Election whilst denying the claims that he was not a member of it. The President said he was elected to power with the full support of the SLPP led Alliance so that he would definitely step onto its political stage. President Rajapaksa said he is already a member of the SLPP and he obtained its membership prior to the Presidential Election. The President expressing his stance on independent commissions said “If we think the Inspector General of Police cannot be independent, we appoint an independent commission. Then can we really expect that Commission to be independent? If we can’t trust an IGP with 38 years of service, how can we believe that a Commission appointed by the same Government is independent? When looking at the manner in which certain members of the Election Commission acted during the previous Presidential Election, can we actually call the Commission independent? For example, an Election Commission member spoke and wrote in a biased manner during the last Presidential Election. Consequently, the independence of that Commission could be questioned.
President Rajapaksa responding to UNP’s current slogan, ‘President Gotabaya and Prime Minister Sajith’ said in lighter vein that if this happens as expected by the UNP, it would surely go into world records. The President said that during his election campaign, he never spoke about his political rival but he emphasised only on what he would do after coming to power. To give effect to this proposition, the Prime Minister elected should definitely be a person of my party as no other person can fulfill it.
If speculation is rife that the two UNP factions would join hands to contest under the “Samagi Jana Balawegaya” (SJB) political alliance at the upcoming General Election, the crisis within the Sajith and Ranil factions has taken a new turn as the UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, has decided to remove all the Local Government members who attended the inaugural ceremony of the SJB held at Nelum Pokuna under the patronage of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on March 2.
A large number of UNP Local Government members had attended the official launch of the new political alliance. Reliable sources confirmed that UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had instructed the Party General Secretary, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam to remove those Local Government members from their posts and appoint new members. It seems the infighting within the party has reached the climax as Party Leader Wickremesinghe had summoned all UNP electoral organisers to party headquarters, Sirikotha on March 3 clearly indicating his readiness to separately contest the upcoming polls under the ‘elephant’ symbol.
Despite media speculation that a special discussion would be held on Friday (March 6) between UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, no such discussion had taken place on Friday. Reliable sources confirmed if Ranil Wickremesinghe had said on March 4, except the party leadership, he would constitutionally vest all other powers with Karu Jayasuriya, that pledge had not been fulfilled as he wished. Therefore, the UNP’s crisis remains still unresolved but the SJB under the leadership of Sajith Premadasa has already launched their election campaign.
Ranil Wickremesinghe has taken yet another decision which would further aggravate the clash between the UNP and the SJB. He has appointed Kabir Hashim and Malik Samarawickrama who were on the Nomination Board of Sajith Premadasa’s Alliance to the UNP’s Nomination Board.
UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said at a media briefing held after the UNP Working Committee meeting on Wednesday (March 4) that the majority of the UNP MPs have decided not to contest the forthcoming General Election under a different symbol except the ‘elephant’. Kariyawasam said on March 3 that he informed all the party leaders of the UNP led alliance his willingness to step down from the post of party General Secretary.
He said that a decision was taken at the Working Committee to contest the election under the elephant symbol thereby preserving the UNP’s identity. It had also been decided to sign a MoU between the UNP and the SJB. Kariyawasam said they want to take the party forward without any division. He said those who back the SJB are of the view that they should contest from the ‘telephone’ symbol at the upcoming polls. However, the UNP Working Committee didn’t agree to that proposal. He said if they have to give up the UNP membership and contest from the telephone symbol, he will not contest the election. “When we have a good party and a symbol, we can’t take a risk by giving up our party membership”. Party senior Paitha Range Bandara also said even if he quits politics, he will never give up the UNP and obtain the membership of another party.
However, former UNP Colombo District Parliamentarian Sujeewa Senasinghe who convened a press conference at his residence on Wednesday (March 4) said it is totally irrelevant to them those decisions taken at future UNP Working Committee meetings.
Senasinghe said they gave the last chance to the UNP but on that occasion too Party Leader Wickremesinghe was very concerned about the General Secretary post. We also love the elephant symbol and we only requested to give the General Secretary post of our Alliance to Ranjith Madduma Bandara. However, Wickremesinghe turned down our request. We don’t know as to why he wants to retain Akila as the General Secretary. Senasinghe said this is only a problem regarding the UNP and not with Akila.
Former UPFA Parliamentarian Dilan Perera said in a situation where the Parliament has been dissolved and dates have been fixed for nominations, the UNP has been split into several factions and UNPers at large are moving towards the Pohottuwa.
He said if Sajith Premadasa has come down to such a deplorable level of embracing Ranjan Ramanayake who was completely rejected by the people due to his recently leaked filthy audio conversations, we can see how bankrupt Premadasa is. MP Perea told the media in lighter vein that there is no other alternative for the UNP without pandering to any part of the human anatomy at the upcoming polls.
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has informed the Election Commission in writing that they would contest the upcoming General Election from the Pohottuwa symbol. SLPP General Secretary, Sagara Kariyawasam has said that the opportunity will be given to the constituent parties of the Sri Lanka Nidahas Podujana Sandanaya also to contest from the Pohottuwa symbol. Even SLFP Media Spokesman Weerakumara Dissanayake said it won’t be an issue for the SLFP to contest under the Pohottuwa symbol. He said the SLFP would definitely contest from the Pohottuwa symbol.
Former State Minister, Shehan Semasinghe has expressed concern that if former President Maithripala Sirisena gets elected to the next Parliament, he would be an embarrassment to the new Government. He said that at present there is reasonable doubt among the people that there is a connection between the recent controversial ‘hawk statement’ by former President Sirisena and the Sajith Premadasa faction’s attempt to contest separately under the SJB. Former State Minister Roshan Ranasinghe who has launched an open battle against former President Sirisena said that the former President crept into the SLFP- UPFA nest by force.
Then, we left the nest and formed the new nest, Pohottuwa. Now he and his group attempt to enter into the Pohottuwa nest as well to lay eggs. I think it is more desirable if former President Sirisena chose to be in his own nest and leave us alone.
The TNA, one of the coalition partners of former Yahapalana Government said they are not in a position to extend their support to SJB as it has not yet expressed their stance on the so called national question.
The TNA has said that they would contest alone at the upcoming General Election and added that after the election they are willing to discuss and enter into an agreement if their conditions are met.
The TNA said that at the last Presidential Election they extended their support to Sajith Premadasa because they had confidence in the stance maintained by the UNP as a party.
Minister Wimal Weerawansa addressing a recent ceremony said that after the next General Election a Parliament comprising capable political personages to suit the political culture expected by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be formed. Weerawansa in his speech also responded to the recent controversial statement of former President Maithripala Sirisena that “he would attack like a hawk at the right time.”
The Minister said “while hawks were reigning, if by chance the coronavirus came, we could have observed how those very people were behaving. Those hawks who knew about the Easter Sunday attacks simply kept mum without taking action to prevent them. He said that at the next election, both hawks and chameleons would be sent back home. The people have decided to elect only those who are dedicated to the cause of the country as exemplified by the President himself.” Even the UPFA General Secretary Minister Mahinda Amaraweera at the Government’s Party Leaders meeting had told Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa that former President Maithripala Sirisena’s ‘hawk story’ has done the biggest damage to the SLFP candidates. The SLFP leaders had also asked Maithripala Sirisena whether he could come from the National List as his recent controversial ‘hawk story” has caused serious damage to them.
However, former President Sirisena responding to the SLFPers had said that he cannot believe that he would be appointed from the National List and that he thinks they will also do the same thing that he did to the National List. Therefore, the former President had said that he would contest from the Polonnaruwa district for a parliamentary seat. SLFP veteran Kumara Welgama on Friday (March 6) launched his new political party Nawa Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya under his leadership. Welgama at the launching ceremony of his new party said people have got together to rebuild the SLFP which is now ‘sold out’. He said the SLFP formed by the late Prime Minister S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike was protected until 2015. However, it was not the case any more.
The SLFP stalwart said he quit the SLFP in 2015 as a protest against Maithripala Sirisena’s betrayal of the party. To cover up his sins, the SLFP Leader Sirisena has now joined hands with the SLPP. He further said the new political party was formed with the blessings of former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.
There is also speculation that former Marxist rebel Rohana Wijeweera’s son Uvindu Wijeweera is going to make his political debut under the SLPP ticket possibly contesting from the Colombo district. He had said that politics should be based on a nationalistic policy with priority being given to the country. It has been reported that a couple of days ago Uvindu Wijeweera had met the SLPP Leader, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.