AKD Govt. faces ground realities in governance and economic recovery while chaos reigns in Opposition

06 Oct 2024 | Black Box By Capt. Vasabha The Morning

• AKD tells IMF third review can be after Parliamentary Polls; Jaishankar told project discussions also after polls
• Next tranche under IMF’s EFF likely to be delayed till 2025; Govt. seeks some changes within existing parameters 
• IMF and Paris Club OCC consultations on debt restructuring conclude; approval granted to ISB holders’ deal
• AKD’s meetings with foreign envoys witness issues in translations; Govt. yet to formulate foreign policy direction 

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his Government were no doubt awakened to the ground realities in governance as well as the country’s precarious economic situation following the many meetings held by the new President last week with India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, members of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and envoys representing several key foreign nations. 

The one thing that all these meetings highlighted was that Sri Lanka was at an economic crossroads and that the new President would have to tread carefully to ensure recovery and not let Sri Lanka slide back to 2022.

The AKD Government will definitely have to give prominence to foreign policy, given the increasing engagements required in Sri Lanka’s recovery path. Geopolitical sensitivities will also have to be given special focus, given the preconceived notion that being a Leftist Government, there could be more alignment with the Chinese, while neighbouring India keeps a close watch after playing a significant role in assisting Sri Lanka’s economic recovery programme by way of financial aid as well as intervening to secure the IMF programme for Sri Lanka and the debt restructuring programme.

Unfortunately, it is reliably learnt that there have been concerns over translations during the President’s meetings with the foreign envoys last week. Several foreign envoys had realised that what they were articulating to AKD had not been fully translated to the President. A continuation of such a scenario could lead to complications in foreign relations. It is also learnt that the AKD Government is yet to grasp the need for a foreign policy direction, relying mostly on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) for current engagements.

However, there was also good news that came out on Friday (4) night: the announcement of the successful completion of the IMF and Official Creditor Committee (OCC) of the Paris Club consultation process on Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring programme.

Accordingly, the Government on Friday night announced: “The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (‘Sri Lanka’) is pleased to announce that, following the Agreement in Principle (AIP) reached with representatives of its international and local holders of International Sovereign Bonds (ISBs) on 19 September 2024, the Sri Lankan authorities have now completed their consultations with Sri Lanka’s OCC and the IMF regarding the compliance of the AIP terms with the Comparability of Treatment (CoT) principle and the parameters of Sri Lanka’s IMF-supported programme.”

The Sri Lankan Government had also received confirmation from the IMF staff that the AIP terms met programme parameters under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement second review macro framework, when considered in conjunction with the restructuring of official claims in line with the terms agreed with the OCC and China’s Export-Import (Exim) Bank in June.

The Government’s announcement also notes: “Following the Presidential Election held in Sri Lanka on Saturday, 21 September, and the appointment of the new Government on 25 September, the Sri Lankan authorities confirm their endorsement of the programme debt targets and the AIP terms as announced on 19 September and confirm their intention to expedite the implementation of the ISBs’ restructuring transaction in line with these terms.”

It is however learnt that the AKD Government is looking at the possibility of revisiting Sri Lanka’s deal on debt treatment with ISB holders. Although a final decision has not been reached on the matter, President AKD’s Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) was critical of the deal reached between the ISB holders and the then Ranil Wickremesinghe Government just days before the September Presidential Election.

Also of concern would be the delay in conducting the third review of Sri Lanka by the IMF team until after the 14 November Parliamentary Election. This will effectively mean a delay in the disbursement of the next tranche under the EFF programme to Sri Lanka until next year.

In the event the IMF review is carried out towards mid- to end-November, the report might not be included in the IMF Executive Board schedule for December, before the holiday season. The review report will then be taken up by the Executive Board in January 2025.

Meanwhile, the AKD Government’s economic team that met with the IMF team last week is also expected to travel to Washington, DC towards the end of this month to discuss the changes being proposed by the new Government within the parameters of the ongoing programme.

An IMF delegation led by Asia Pacific Department Director Krishna Srinivasan met with President AKD on Thursday (3) and Friday to discuss the ongoing EFF programme. An IMF team led by Peter Breuer met with AKD’s economic team that will spearhead the negotiations with the fund from now on. This team will however include two members from the previous team – Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe and Finance Ministry Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana. 

In all these meetings, the new Government emphasised the need for the inclusion of welfare schemes and reducing the tax burden on the masses within the existing parameters of the programme. The IMF, it is learnt, had agreed that the proposals could be looked at while giving priority to State revenue targets.

The IMF meanwhile has warned there are important vulnerabilities and uncertainties in Sri Lanka. IMF Communications Department Director Julie Kozack said that sustaining the reform momentum in Sri Lanka was critical.

• AKD’s JVP/NPP working to secure a two-thirds majority in the House as broad Opposition alliance talks fail
• UNP and SJB as well as SLFP and SJB engage in talks to form an alliance; objections over contesting with some SLPPers
• UNP talks with SJB over latter’s demand for a change in UNP leadership; Wajira, Manusha get motion passed for RW
• SLPPers look at contesting under an alliance with common symbol; to contest under PA’s ‘chair’ as last resort
• Opposition grows among UNP against contesting under Ravi’s NDF and ‘swan’ symbol; SLFP, SLPP dissidents also object
• Ravi proposes getting RW’s ‘gas cylinder’ symbol for NDF to form alliance; SLPP dissidents under ‘trophy’ party also turn to ‘gas cylinder’
• Issue over ‘gas cylinder’ for a political party since it’s an independent symbol; symbol also issued to independent group for LG Polls
• Competition between Ravi and SLPP dissidents to get ‘gas cylinder’ symbol; EC gives symbol to NDF after long deliberations
• Lasantha, Duminda push to contest under PA and ‘chair’; RW confidants in UNP, SLPP dissidents push ‘gas cylinder’ symbol
• Majority of UNP Working Committee for ‘gas cylinder’ symbol; next option an alliance led by UNP under ‘elephant’ symbol
• Akila and Ashu object to ‘gas cylinder’ alliance with SLPP dissidents, seek alliance only with the SJB to win polls
• RW and seniors meet UNP organisers after Working Committee; majority oppose alliance with SLPP, ask for ‘elephant’ alliance
• UNP Gen. Sec. objects to Theodore’s appointment as Acting Gen. Sec.; risk of legal issue if Theodore signs nominations for UNP
• UNP seniors Ruwan, Akila, Ashu as well as Thalatha decide not to contest polls; Akila turns to SJB to contest
• SJB leadership decides to field new faces at upcoming polls; most new faces are newcomers from other political parties
• Dilith starts new political game, accepts key SLPP dissidents; Maithripala’s son Daham also joins Dilith after SJB shuts door
• ITAK invites former TNA members back to contest polls; decides to contest in districts outside Northern and Eastern Provinces 
• Several senior TNA MPs decide not to contest polls; diaspora businessman Allirajah forms Tamil party
• Namal to lead SLPP polls campaign, focus on nominations for persons below 50 years; no opening for betrayers, says Sagara

Jaishankar in Colombo

Meanwhile, Dr. Jaishankar became the first high-level foreign dignitary to visit Sri Lanka following President AKD’s assumption of office. 

It is evident that India is working at becoming a close ally of the AKD Government, given that Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha was the first foreign diplomat to congratulate AKD in person after being announced by the Election Commission as the country’s ninth Executive President. Now, Jaishankar is the first high-level foreign dignitary to meet with the new President with an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for AKD to visit India.

However, despite speculation that President AKD could make India his first overseas destination for an official visit, geopolitical concerns related to Sri Lanka concerning India and China could result in the President opting for a neutral foreign destination as his first official overseas visit.

Jaishankar had also informed the President that payments for seven completed Line of Credit (LOC) projects to the tune of $ 20 million could be converted into grants. India has also decided to gift 22 diesel locomotives to Sri Lanka Railways.

Decision after polls

Like with the IMF delegation, President AKD, it is learnt, had communicated to Dr. Jaishankar that the discussion on the progress of Indian projects in the country could be looked at following the conclusion of the upcoming Parliamentary Elections.

However, the President, it is learnt, had acknowledged that renewable energy was the solution to many issues in the power sector when Dr. Jaishankar had focused on Sri Lanka’s energy and tourism industries.

During the Indian External Affairs Minister’s interactions with the two other members of the AKD Government, it was evident that the new Government would not make any commitments until the Parliamentary Elections. It is learnt that both Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath, while appreciating India’s role thus far in the country’s economic recovery efforts, had noted that more focus on Indian programmes in Sri Lanka could be looked at after the elections.

Jaishankar also met with former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa during his visit last week.

Gearing for polls

The country however is once again returning to election mode, albeit in a subdued manner after witnessing an exhaustive Presidential Election campaign that concluded just last month.

Be it the Presidential Election or Parliamentary Elections, past political trends have shown that the party that wins the first national-level election stands the best chances of winning the next election. This trend has been witnessed since 1977 when the late J.R. Jayewardene was elected to office. The trend followed during the tenures of the late President R. Premadasa and former Presidents Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (CBK), Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena, and Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

CBK, who won the 1994 Parliamentary Elections by just one extra seat, managed to secure over 60% of the vote base at the Presidential Election that was held later that year.

However, this time around, the Parliamentary Election will be quite an interesting one that will also go down in history, like the recently-concluded Presidential Election. This is the first time that the one-time third political force in the country, the JVP-led NPP, has assumed power with its victory at the Presidential Election. It will also be the first time a Leftist political party could form a government of its own without a coalition government as has been the case with governments led by Left-leaning parties in Sri Lanka in the past.

Clear victor

Be that as it may, given what seems to be chaos in the camps of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), and the United National Party (UNP), the JVP/NPP will emerge the clear winner at the upcoming Parliamentary Elections.

Despite initial discussions to form a broad political alliance of Opposition political parties that include the SJB, UNP, SLFP, and the SLPP, they fell apart due to disagreements over party leaderships, alliance symbols, and possible candidates with undesirable track records.

The JVP/NPP therefore now has an open field to push for a comfortable majority in the House, even a two-thirds majority.

SLFP-SJB talks

The forming of alliances for the Parliamentary Elections saw the UNP engaged in discussions with the SJB while the SLFP also engaged in a discussion with the SJB on an alliance.

Following a discussion of the SLFP Politburo, it was decided that the party had reservations in contesting with some SLPP dissidents while also not being agreeable to contest under the ‘trophy’ symbol of the alliance formed by dissident SLPPers or the ‘swan’ symbol of UNP National Secretary Ravi Karunanayake’s New Democratic Front (NDF) party.

Despite explanations by some members of the UNP that the ‘swan’ symbol is known by the masses since former President Maithripala Sirisena had contested and won under the symbol, the SLFPers have pointed out that the symbol also stands as a reminder of the failures of the former ‘Yahapalana’ Government.

The SLFP had then decided to discuss with the SJB to explore the possibility of forming an electoral alliance for the Parliamentary Elections. Accordingly, SLFP seniors Mahinda Amaraweera and Lasantha Alagiyawanna commenced discussions with the SJB, mainly with Premadasa’s Senior Advisor Lakshman Fonseka. The discussion between Fonseka and several senior SLFPers had however commenced during the Presidential Election campaign when Fonseka had been trying to convince a few of them to join Premadasa’s campaign.

The SLFP Politburo however had decided that the party would contest the upcoming election under an alliance with the SJB and, if all else fails, under the ‘chair’ symbol of the SLFP-led People’s Alliance (PA).

UNPers rethink

However, hearing that the SLFP was engaged in a discussion with the SJB to form an alliance, the UNP Leader and his confidants were distressed since a key partner in the alliance that was being pushed by them was having second thoughts on joining a UNP-led alliance.

The SLFP’s decision resulted in the alliance being pushed by a group of Wickremesinghe confidants consisting only of the UNP and a group of SLPP dissidents.

By this time, many senior UNPers had started to send messages to the UNP leadership of their decision not to contest the Parliamentary Elections following meetings with their respective electoral organisers working on the ground in the districts.

Many UNP seniors had said that their organisers and supporters had given two options – either the UNP contests solo under the ‘elephant’ symbol or contests under an alliance with the SJB and that the ‘telephone’ symbol could be an option. All these seniors have informed that the party members have been unanimous in their call for the UNP not to contest with the SLPP dissidents, especially some SLPPers with unpleasant track records.

It is learnt that several senior UNPers had informed the party leadership that while they would not contest at the elections, they would also not engage in campaign work in their districts if the UNP proceeds with an alliance with SLPP dissidents.

Hearing these words, Wickremesinghe received the much-needed wake-up call that the UNPers at the grassroot level did not subscribe to the proposals being made by a few UNP seniors during meetings on deciding the party’s next course of action.

Motion for RW

Meanwhile, UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena and former MP Manusha Nanayakkara had convened a meeting of a group of UNP organisers of the Galle District to discuss the stances the party should adopt at the Parliamentary Elections.

Accordingly, UNP organisers from the Galle, Habaraduwa, and Akmeemana electorates had attended a meeting that was chaired by Abeywardena and Nanayakkara. Former Local Government members of the UNP had also attended the meeting.

During the meeting, Abeywardena and Nanayakkara had gotten a motion passed calling on Wickremesinghe to continue as the Leader of the UNP and for the former President to lead the party’s campaign at the upcoming Parliamentary Elections.

Reaching out to SJB

A group of UNP seniors meanwhile had once again reached out to the SJB by last Sunday (29 September) to renegotiate the formation of an alliance for the Parliamentary Polls.

While several senior SJBers have accepted the formation of the alliance, Premadasa and his Advisor Fonseka had claimed that any alliance with the UNP would be possible only if Wickremesinghe resigned from the party leadership and made way for Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene to take over as UNP leader.

The condition that Wickremesinghe should resign was not taken well by many UNPers, including Wijewardene, who had responded saying that Premadasa and the SJB could not decide on the UNP’s leadership. Premadasa and Fonseka have however remained resolute on the demand for a leadership change in the UNP; no leadership change, no alliance.

UNP responds

However, the UNP had responded that the party would agree to Premadasa being the prime ministerial candidate if the SJB accepted Wickremesinghe as the UNP Leader.

The UNP had also noted that it was prepared to contest the Parliamentary Election under the ‘elephant’ or ‘telephone’ symbols or even consider a common symbol for the polls.

Nevertheless, with Premadasa unwilling to back down from his demand for Wickremesinghe’s resignation as UNP Leader, talks between the UNP and SJB had fallen apart by Monday (30 September).

‘Gas cylinder’ issue

Meanwhile, by last weekend a majority of the members who were discussing the formation of an alliance with the forces that joined to support Wickremesinghe’s presidential campaign began to hear that there were several technical difficulties in securing the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol that was used by Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Election.

A former senior member of the Election Commission was consulted by several dissident SLPPers to inquire if the ‘gas cylinder’ could be taken as a symbol by a party that was already registered. They had also informed that Karunanayake had stated that his party, the NDF, had already written to the Election Commission and taken the necessary steps to secure the symbol used by Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Polls.

The former senior commission member had explained that there were two sets of symbols with the Election Commission – those for registered political parties and those for independent candidates/groups during elections. The former official had noted that since the ‘gas cylinder’ was among the list of symbols for independents, there could be a technical issue in getting it for a registered political party.

The former official had further explained that the ‘gas cylinder’ had also been assigned to an independent group contesting at the delayed Local Government Elections and since the nomination lists for the delayed election had not been cancelled, there could be another technical issue in assigning the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol to a political party for the Parliamentary Elections.

Battle for ‘gas cylinder’

With the increasing interest in the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol, securing the symbol has resulted in what seems like a competition as well.

Both Karunanayake’s NDF and the SLPP dissidents’ Podujana Eksath Nidahas Peramuna that is currently under the ‘trophy’ symbol had moved to secure the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol. 

The SLPP dissidents had assigned the task of securing the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol for their party to former State Minister Anuradha Jayaratne, who had prepared the relevant request letters to be handed over to the Election Commission.

Interestingly, when Jayaratne and Co. had handed over the letter to the commission, they had been informed that Karunanayake’s team had handed over a letter a few hours earlier requesting the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol for the NDF.

Awaiting final decision

However, the UNP and its alliance partners – the dissident SLPPers and the SLFP – held a meeting on Monday at 9.30 a.m. at the Flower Road office. The discussion was focused on the symbol that would be taken by the alliance.

At the outset of the meeting, Karunanayake had said that he was still awaiting a response from the Election Commission on whether the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol could be assigned to the NDF in place of the ‘swan’ symbol. Karunanayake had added that the Election Commission had assured him that it would inform him of the final decision on Tuesday (1).

The inability to make a final decision on the alliance symbol resulted in the UNP-led alliance deciding to push the decision to the following day, Tuesday.

Nevertheless, on Tuesday, the Election Commission had informed the UNP upon inquiry that the commission would meet the following day, Wednesday (2), to make a final decision on whether the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol could be allocated to the NDF.

Working Committee meets

It is in such a backdrop that the UNP Working Committee decided to meet last Tuesday afternoon to discuss and decide the party’s stance at the Parliamentary Elections.

The Working Committee meeting was focused on deciding how the party would contest at the Parliamentary Elections and the symbol of the alliance.

A majority of the Working Committee members, it is learnt, had proposed that a broad Opposition alliance should be formed under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol. The other group had maintained that if the ‘gas cylinder’ alliance could not be formed, the UNP should form an alliance under the ‘elephant’ symbol.

Party Leader Wickremesinghe had called on the Working Committee members to make their proposals known individually and each of the members had stood and aired their views. A majority of the members had shown the need for the UNP to contest as the alliance with the forces that had supported Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Election under the symbol used by him at the polls.

Another group had noted that many UNP organisers might not work for the ‘gas cylinder’ alliance with the same enthusiasm they would work under an alliance under the ‘elephant’ symbol. This group also noted that it would also get disgruntled UNPers, especially with the inclusion of some SLPP dissidents in the Wickremesinghe camp, to vote at the upcoming polls.

However, Working Committee members Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and Ashu Marasinghe had maintained that the UNP should push for an alliance with the SJB for the elections. Kariyawasam and Marasinghe had also noted that they would not contest the upcoming elections unless it was under an alliance with the SJB. 

In the event the UNP was to contest as part of an alliance under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol with all SLPP dissident groups, Kariyawasam and Marasinghe have proposed that permission should be granted to a group of UNPers to contest the elections under the SJB-led alliance. This proposal however had been shot down by almost all members of the Working Committee, claiming that it would create confusion and split the party.

Some of the members who had pushed to contest under the ‘elephant’ symbol had then pointed out that contesting under the UNP symbol could also pave the way for groups of disgruntled SJBers to join the alliance.

Organisers want ‘elephant’

Following the meeting of the Working Committee, senior UNP leaders including Wickremesinghe had met with the party’s electoral organisers to get their views on the party’s stance during the Parliamentary Elections.

Almost all of the UNP organisers who had gathered at Sirikotha had urged their leaders to push to contest the upcoming election as a UNP-led alliance under the ‘elephant’ symbol. They had pointed out that the party should also be selective in deciding the SLPP dissidents who would be allowed to contest under the ‘elephant’ symbol.

The party organisers had also pointed out that some SJBers could also join if the UNP contested under the ‘elephant’ symbol. The UNP organisers had also taken the opportunity to express their displeasure over the push by some party seniors to get the UNP to align with some SLPP dissidents with various allegations to contest the Parliamentary Elections.

‘Elephant’ issues

However, it is learnt that the UNP is faced with a hurdle to contest under the party’s ‘elephant’ symbol, the reason being a letter handed over to the Election Commission by UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara.

Once Range Bandara had travelled overseas following the conclusion of the Presidential Election, the UNP leadership had appointed the party’s Deputy General Secretary Krishan Theodore as the Acting General Secretary of the UNP. The UNP had also informed the Election Commission that Theodore had been appointed as the Acting General Secretary of the party, especially given that it is now an election period.

A senior lawyer in the UNP had however informed Wickremesinghe that Range Bandara had submitted an objection against appointing Theodore as Acting General Secretary. The lawyer had further explained that the objection submitted by Range Bandara could pose a risk of the UNP’s nomination lists facing a legal issue if they were submitted under Theodore’s signature.

It is further learnt that Range Bandara had been given legal counsel on lodging a complaint with the Election Commission against Theodore by a President’s Counsel attached to the SJB.

SLFP split

Meanwhile, the SLFP, which formed an alliance under the PA with a group of SLPP dissidents in the run-up to the Presidential Election, was also split last week over whom the party should align with at the Parliamentary Elections.

While the party engaged in a discussion with the SJB, by Tuesday the talks had failed to progress to form an alliance. 

The SLFP-led PA on Tuesday also joined the waiting game of the UNP and the rest of the SLPP dissidents awaiting the final decision of the Election Commission on the allocation of the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol for the party to join a broad Opposition alliance.

‘The Black Box’ learnt that the PA had reaffirmed its decision to contest under the broad alliance if it was able to contest under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol or the PA’s ‘chair’ symbol if the UNP-led alliance decided to contest under any other symbol like the ‘elephant’ or ‘swan’.

‘Gas cylinder’ wins the day

The decision of the Election Commission on the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol was not known till Wednesday evening since the commission had to also engage in a lengthy discussion to make a final decision on the matter.

However, it was finally decided to permit the NDF to use the ‘gas cylinder’ in place of the party’s registered ‘swan’ symbol.

By the time the commission’s decision was made known to the leaders of the NDF, the UNPers were all set to contest under the ‘elephant’ symbol, even preparing lists of names of possible candidates who could contest at the polls.

Once the message was received from the Election Commission, Wickremesinghe’s Flower Road office became a hive of activity once again, with members of the parties that supported Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Election all holding a discussion to make a final decision on the alliance and the allocation of slots for each party in the nomination lists.

The ‘gas cylinder’ alliance partners met again last Thursday (3) morning at the Flower Road office to finalise the electoral process.

SLFP’s conundrum

However, the SLFP-led PA ran into some issues last week, with a majority of SLFPers preferring not to contest under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol and wanting to instead contest separately under the PA and its ‘chair’ symbol.

The SLFP even discussed the possibility of the party contesting separately under the ‘chair’ symbol, with the SLPP dissidents who had joined the PA contesting under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol.

SLFP seniors like Alagiyawanna and Duminda Dissanayake had proposed that the alliance being formed by the UNP and SLPP dissidents should look at contesting under the PA. The UNP and SLPP dissidents had not agreed with this proposal, insisting that the election should be contested under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol.

Nevertheless, the SLFPers were faced with a technical issue. The issue was that the PA had amended the party Constitution when it was recently reconstituted. According to the new amendments to the PA Constitution, the party is governed by a Leadership Council that includes representatives from all parties in the alliance.

It was therefore pointed out by legal experts that the SLFP could not contest under the PA while another group in the Leadership Council contested under a different party.

The likes of Nimal Lanza had maintained that there was a better chance of obtaining votes from those who had voted for Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Election if they contested under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol rather than under the PA’s ‘chair’ symbol.

“For the upcoming elections, we will be fielding a strong team of candidates under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol, with the leadership of Ranil Wickremesinghe,” Lanza claimed at a news conference last Thursday, while the SLFP continued to present reservations about contesting under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol.

Dissidents’ decision

Meanwhile, the SLPP dissidents group led by former Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena held a separate meeting on Thursday evening to make a final decision on the alliance’s stance at the Parliamentary Polls.

Following the meeting, Party General Secretary Dr. Ramesh Pathirana announced that it would contest the upcoming polls as an alliance under a common symbol, paving the way for joining the ‘gas cylinder’ alliance. 

Final decision delayed

With the latest development of a group of possible alliance partners in the Wickremesinghe camp expressing doubts yet again over contesting under the NDF and the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol, the final decision on forming an electoral alliance under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol was not reached at last Thursday’s meeting.

The final decision was then postponed to Friday (4), with the SLFP and SLPP dissidents claiming that they too would further discuss the new alliance before making a final decision.

Alliance sans seniors

However, the decision to form an alliance under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol was finalised on Friday morning.

Accordingly, the alliance consists of the UNP, the SLFP, and a group of SLPP dissidents.

Be that as it may, several senior UNPers including Deputy Leader Wijewardene, Kariyawasam, and Marasinghe announced they would not be contesting the Parliamentary Elections. Former SJB MP Thalatha Atukorale also decided not to contest the polls. It is learnt that Kariyawasam is likely to join the SJB for the elections.

Meanwhile, several senior SLPP dissidents including Dr. Bandula Gunawardena also announced that they would not be contesting at the upcoming elections.

Rajitha’s message

Amidst the ongoing chaos over forming alliances by Opposition political parties, former SJB MP Dr. Rajitha Senaratne claimed that the final outcome of the Presidential Election was a result of separation – contesting as separate forces.

Dr. Senaratne had posted on social media that the division of the UNP and SJB had resulted in their collective defeat. He had noted that many attempts had been made by him in the past few years to unite these two parties, but that they had not been successful.

According to Dr. Senaratne, the recent electoral defeat was not only limited to the two candidates or their supporters but also the economic programme that was put in place during the past two years to pull the country out of economic bankruptcy. “It is actually a defeat of the country.”

The former SJB MP had ended his social media post asking whether the parties should be divided and lose at the upcoming Parliamentary Elections or whether they would unite and win. Senaratne had added that these were the questions both Wickremesinghe and Premadasa should ask themselves. He had added: “6.6 million people are looking at you two.”

SJB’s new faces

The SJB meanwhile has decided to field new faces to contest the Parliamentary Polls.

However, some SJB organisers have claimed that despite the decision to field new faces from the party, most of the candidates are crossovers from other political parties during the past few months.

It is in such a backdrop that the SJB is looking at getting over several senior members of the PA – Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Mahinda Amaraweera, and Lasantha Alagiyawanna – to the SJB fold to contest the Parliamentary Polls.

Alagiyawanna however has claimed during a recent meeting at Wickremesinghe’s Flower Road office that despite many requests from the SJB, he would not leave the SLFP.

Also, given the displeasure among Kariyawasam and Marasinghe to contest the elections without an alliance with the SJB, efforts are also underway by the SJB to secure their support for the party.

Dayasiri’s group splits

However, a group of SLFPers who had joined the SJB with former General Secretary of the SLFP Dayasiri Jayasekara left the SJB last week after being informed that they would not be given nominations for the Parliamentary Polls under the SJB-led alliance.

A group of pro-Jayasekara SLFPers last week left the SJB and announced that they would align themselves with the JVP/NPP. This group, led by senior SLFPer Hector Bethmage, claimed that it would support the JVP/NPP unconditionally. 

Minority party alliance

Meanwhile, a group of Tamil and Muslim minority parties also held discussions last week to form an alliance to contest the Parliamentary Elections.

A discussion was held between representatives of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) last Sunday (29 September). It is learnt that the group had met following the Presidential Election to discuss the possibility of forming an alliance for the elections and had then fixed last Sunday to continue with it.

However, the formation of a minority alliance did not take off and the TPA and SLMC are to continue with their electoral alliance with the SJB that is already in place.

ITAK’s invitation

However, the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), which is the key party of the TNA, has invited its former stakeholders to rejoin the fold to form an alliance to contest the Parliamentary Elections. This invitation was extended by former TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran.

Sumanthiran stated that the ITAK had decided to invite the parties that formed the TNA to rejoin the alliance for the upcoming Parliamentary Elections.

In the event the former stakeholders decide not to join the ITAK, Sumanthiran explained that the party would contest the elections on its own. The ITAK is also looking at contesting in several areas outside the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

It is learnt that this decision had been made after the Tamil common candidate had managed to poll votes from several areas outside the Northern and Eastern Provinces at the Presidential Election.

Several senior ITAK leaders like Charles Nirmalanathan and Vino Noharathalingam announced last week that they had decided not to contest the elections to make way for the Tamil youth to take charge of the northern Tamil political stage.

Diaspora intervention

However, the split in the ITAK during the Presidential Election campaign over supporting candidates at the polls and the increasing vacuum for a new Tamil political leadership for the Northern and Eastern Provinces have resulted in some members of the Tamil diaspora intervening to fill this vacuum.

It is learnt that diaspora businessman Allirajah Subaskaran of Lyca fame has invested in the formation of a new Tamil political party. This party is expected to contest at the upcoming Parliamentary Elections from the north and east as well as other areas in the country.

It is believed that former TNA MP Selvam Adaikalanathan could lead this new political party following a discussion that was held among several senior Tamil politicians in the north last week.

Dilith’s plan

Amidst the ongoing political chaos among the key political parties, Mawbima Janatha Party (MJP) Leader Dilith Jayaweera is engaged in a different type of political game.

Jayaweera, it seems, is in the process of preparing an alternative political force that will provide a platform for those stranded by the nationalist camp that was earlier led by the SLPP.

Last week, he announced the joining of several dissident SLPPers to his party. Key among them was the appointment of former State Minister Dilum Amunugama as the MJP’s National Organiser.

Former SLPP Minister Roshan Ranasinghe and former MP Milan Jayathilaka also joined the MJP last week.

Ranasinghe has now replaced the vacancy created by former Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama, who resigned from the MJP following Jayaweera’s decision to form an alliance – the Sarvajana Balaya – with the extremist, nationalist camp led by the likes of former MPs Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila.

Sirisena joins Dilith

While there were more SLPP dissidents who joined with Jayaweera during the course of the week, one individual who joined the MJP raised many eyebrows.

Former Leader of the SLFP and former President Sirisena’s son Daham Sirisena joining Jayaweera as the MJP’s Polonnaruwa District Organiser came as a surprise to many, but not to those who were aware of Sirisena’s failed attempts to get Daham into the SJB fold.

Namal focuses on youth

Meanwhile, SLPP National Organiser Namal Rajapaksa, who will be spearheading the party’s campaign at the Parliamentary Elections, has decided to give more space for youth in the SLPP nomination lists for the elections.

Namal has said that priority will be given to candidates below the age of 50 years as well as candidates representing the party at Local Government and Provincial Council levels.

The SLPP has already commenced appointing new electoral organisers to the electorates that had fallen vacant following the defection of a group of senior SLPPers to support Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Election.

No room for betrayers

Meanwhile, a group of SLPP dissidents who had joined the Wickremesinghe camp during the Presidential Election had approached the SLPP to look at returning to the party fold.

It is learnt that SLPP seniors had also held a discussion about the requests by some SLPP dissidents to return to the fold. It is also learnt that the SLPP seniors had discussed the possibility of getting back some dissidents to the party fold, but it had been emphasised that the SLPP needed to be selective about whom it let back into the fold.

It is in such a backdrop that SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam stated last week that the party would not accept some members whom he claimed had betrayed the party. “There will be no room for those who betrayed the party to return to the fold,” he added.

The SLPP had earlier stated that the party would not accept former SLPPers who had been accused of corruption back into the party.