Speculation is rife in political circles that Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa is likely to be sworn in as a Member of Parliament on July 6.
Several Government lawmakers said that there have been many requests from the SLPP parliamentary group, provincial politicians and SLPP affiliated organisations for SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa to enter Parliament and play a significant role in handling the economy.
Government lawmakers are of the view that Rajapaksa would positively respond to their request and return to Parliament by providing the necessary strength to the President and Prime Minister to take the Government forward.
Minister of Wildlife and Forest Conservation C. B. Ratnayake:
Basil Rajapaksa is the founder of the SLPP. Earlier also we requested him to represent Parliament but he turned down the request. However, the SLPP parliamentary group once again requested him to enter Parliament and accept a ministerial portfolio.
Even today, he is the person who plays the major role in the Government without having any ministerial portfolio. Therefore, if he comes to Parliament and holds a key ministerial portfolio, that would be a strength to Government Parliamentarians.
We would be able to get proper instructions from him to rebuild the country’s economy. At this juncture, there is a need of a creative and capable politician like Basil Rajapaksa to carry forward the Government’s mechanism. Over the past one and a half years, we were not able to continue the country’s development drive and develop the economy as we expected due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Public administration and politics should go parallel. Otherwise, the administration can’t go alone without politics. Then it would be difficult to move forward and reach the expected targets. I think SLPP National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa has the necessary skills and talents to successfully coordinate between these two important aspects.
Minister of Tourism Prasanna Ranatunga:
Former Minister and SLPP Founder Basil Rajapaksa’s entry to Parliament will be a great strength to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to formulate plans for the betterment of the nation. Former Minister Basil Rajapaksa is one of the best organisers and has the ability to fulfill all responsibilities assigned to him successfully. He said it was former Minister Basil Rajapaksa who gave leadership to strengthen the economy during the battle against terrorism when present President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was entrusted with the task of ending the LTTE terrorism during the tenure of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
SLPP National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa was instrumental in all our previous election victories since 2005. After former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s electoral defeat in 2015, Basil Rajapaksa took that responsibility as well. Generally, there are so many people who acknowledge victory, but no one takes responsibility for defeat. However, Rajapaksa used his organisational skills again to form this Government in 2019.
Minister of Youth and Sports Namal Rajapaksa:
During the tenure of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Government, three Rajapaksa brothers were described as three wheels of a ‘tricycle’. Then President Mahinda Rajapaksa was introduced as the front wheel and Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa as the two side wheels.
There was an impression that if one of the wheels is dislocated, the vehicle cannot be moved. SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa would come to Parliament and become strength to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and not for any other reason.
Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera:
Basil Rajapaksa’s has rendered a service for major tasks in the Government and not for petty things like reducing the fuel prices. I personally know he is a very talented and capable politician. There is no issue with regard to his capabilities and skills.
State Minister of Rural Industries Promotion Prasanna Ranaweera:
The SLPP parliamentary group has made a request from SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa to enter Parliament. We are of the view that he should definitely represent Parliament. Basil Rajapaksa who formed the SLPP and led the party towards victory, doesn’t need to get anybody’s permission or request to come to Parliament.
If he wanted, he would have contested the last General Election and would have been elected to Parliament. Otherwise, he would have come from the SLPP National List. According to the present-day requirements, he should definitely be in Parliament. A group of backbenches of the Government and a large number of State Ministers have made a request from SLPP founder Rajapaksa to enter Parliament and accept a ministerial portfolio. We hope he will enter Parliament this week.
SJB Parliamentarian Thusara Indunil Amarasena:
It is not a big issue that Basil Rajapaksa comes to Parliament. Since the present Government came to power, he has handled this Government behind the scene by creating the necessary coordination between the President and the Prime Minister.
The Covid-19 Task Force and the Presidential Task Force on Economic Revival and Poverty Eradication were also under his purview. Therefore, if he comes to Parliament, he will do the same thing. Basil Rajapaksa who returned from America and came to the scene is not a new thing for us. The habit of the Rajapaksas is when one Rajapaksa becomes unpopular, they bring another Rajapaksa on to the stage under a new topic. It looks like the same old actors are brought with new makeup.
JVP Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath:
Even today Basil Rajapaksa is the Head of the Presidential Task Force on Economic Revival and Poverty Eradication, Covid Welfare Task Force and Organic Fertiliser Task Force. All these three Task Forces have become unsuccessful and have drawn criticism from the people.
During the period from 2010 to 2015, Rajapaksa was the Economic Development Minister but the economy collapsed and fraud and corruption increased. This Government somehow included the clause on dual citizenship to the 20th Amendment. Then Ministers like Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila said that a new Constitution will be introduced this year and this dual citizenship will be changed after that.
Now the intention is very clear as to why dual citizenship was included into the 20th Amendment. That is to pave the way for Basil Rajapaksa to come back to Parliament. Even if he enters Parliament, nothing new would happen.