The overwhelming victory of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is not the result of a one-day incubation but one conceived on January 9, 2015, the very day Maithripala Sirisena was enthroned. The obscurantists equated Mahinda’s defeat to the victory of dethroning the Russian Emperor Czar by the Bolshevik revolution. Reactionaries heaved a sigh of relief when they boasted, “We hanged Mahinda on the Medamulana Window”. Strangely the SLFP, Non-Governmental Organisations and 41 labour organisations were competing with each other to get the credit for defeating Mahinda.
That was the beginning of the paralysis that inflicted the Yahapalana regime. When Mahinda addressed his supporters from his Medamulana residence, they became overwhelmed with sadness and began to shed tears.
“True, that I lost Presidency but I have not left my people in the lurch. I am always with you. We shall stand up together”, Mahinda consoled his followers.
From that time onwards, people in their thousands flooded Medamulana. Meanwhile, the Dinesh and Vasu combination joined hands with the Wimal-Udaya duo injecting a new lease of life into the anti-yahapalana battle.
It was the Wimal – Udaya duo who launched the operation to defeat the Yahapalana Government on August 2015. The initial discussion in this regard took place at Geethanjana Gunawardene’s residence, Colombo attended by Wimal, Udaya, Dinesh, Dullas, Gamini Lokuge, Dayan Jayatilleke. Later DEW and Vasu joined the January 20 meeting. Subsequent meetings were held at Kaduwela, Walpola, Narahenpita, Piliyandala, Maharagama, Ratmalana and Avissawella.
While some people reposed their faith in Maithri’s programs, Wimal and Udaya lost no time in rejecting them outright. They were unanimous in their belief that the country was being led to a bottomless pit by the UNP.
The Mahinda Sulanga inaugural meeting was held at Nugegoda on February 18, 2015 attended by an unprecedented crowd.
Rajitha made a caustic remark, “the momentum will fade away after two or three meetings”. The majority of SLFP members joined the rallies that followed the Matara rally at which 76 SLFP MPs joined. Since then the SLFP majority remained with Mahinda.
The Yahapalana Government set up the FCID to hunt down the Rajapaksas. The FCID far from conducting independent investigations were directed to probe cases referred to it by a special body headed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Preliminary plans were afoot to imprison Basil Rajapaksa who was to return to the island. The CID arrested Basil and produced him in Court at 10.00 in the night. What is extraordinary was that the Court House was kept open till midnight waiting for Basil’s arrival. A prison vehicle had been parked there prior to Basil being produced in courts.
Before the General Elections of 2015, Maithri addressing the nation over the T.V. said even if Mahinda won the General Election, he would not be appointed Prime Minister. Elections were held and the Yahapalana government came to power. The formation of the Joint Opposition under Dinesh Gunawardene was the first salvo fired aiming at defeating the Yahapalana government.
The role of the Joint Opposition to destabilise the government is of paramount importance. While the TNA’s role as the official Opposition remained insignificant, the Joint Opposition challenged the Government on its anti-people moves.
Basil made, the Mahinda Sulanga, a reality by setting up the new political organisation, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. Basil’s organisational skills are unparalleled and unbeatable, with no peers in the political arena to match him.
Basil had the alacrity to feel the pulse of the people. It was Basil who led the campaign for the election of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the President.
The people have given a clear mandate to Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa to form a new government. This is the beginning of the dawn of a new era in the country.
A free and sovereign country of prosperity and splendour is the wish of the people.
Translated by K.D.M. Kittanpahuwa