• Three key contenders still in 30% ranges, no majority yet; election still an open field, say analysts
• ITAK becomes latest casualty in 2024 Prez Polls, split between Sajith and Tamil common candidate
• Sumanthiran announces support for Sajith after CC meeting; Shritharan camp says meeting not valid
• Nirmalanathan, Yogeswaran, Sreenesan, Saravanapavan, K.T. Thavarasa, PC unaware of Sunday meet
• Shritharan in the UK meeting diaspora during Sunday CC meet; diaspora agrees to fund Ariyanethiran 
• Sajith thanks ITAK, supporters claim Indian support to win ITAK; India objects, online posts deleted
• Mavai says no official ITAK decision to support Sajith; Shritharan says majority for Ariyanethiran 
• Mavai’s son meets Sajith in Colombo, says father misinformed; Sajith speaks to Mavai over the phone
• RW gets UNPers to start ground-level campaign; SLPPers take backseat, afraid of being chased away
• UNP, SLFP take lead in ground campaign; Range’s grievance over compensation payments revealed
• RW directs campaign to cut down 30 main rallies; resources to be utilised for ground campaigns
• Plans for Thalatha to get on stage in Mathugama changed last minute; Thalatha to attend today
• RW starts cracking the whip, removes four State Ministers; SLPP doubts non-removal of Shasheendra
• Another group of SLPP dissidents for new Podujana Eksath Nidahas Peramuna under ‘trophy’ symbol
• Tiran gives his ‘trophy’ party DNF to form new SLPP alliance; secures National List slot in next House
• Fonseka and JVP both contested under ‘trophy’ in 2010; new alliance name given by Prasanna
• SJB launches several campaigns to attack AKD, RW-AKD deal; RW hits back, says Sajith made AKD
• AKD becomes common enemy for RW, Sajith; AKD says won’t unilaterally move out of IMF deal
• No ‘Saradiel’ economy, says AKD to biz leaders, diplomats; Sajith launches economic Blueprint 3.0
• Namal launches manifesto; MR to stay behind the scenes at campaign, Namal to be the main focus

With just 10 days to go to conclude the Presidential Election campaign period, the campaigns of the key contenders have reached their peak, with attacks, counter-attacks, pledges, and counter pledges. 

Last week however saw the pledges made by the three main contenders – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) candidate Sajith Premadasa, and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) – reach a fever pitch, with each of them pledging salary increases and benefits for public sector employees. The reason for this focus was the postal voting period that commenced on Wednesday (4).

However, with a majority of the postal voting now completed, the camps of each of the key contenders claim that each of them has managed to get a majority of the votes. ‘The Black Box’ learns that AKD is likely to muster a majority of the postal votes this time around.

Nevertheless, come 22 September, the country will see the final victor assuming office as the ninth executive president.

Meanwhile, the surveys being carried out by the campaign heads of each key contender continue to show that the three main contenders are still in the 30% range and have not secured a majority of 50% votes.

However, the latest assessment on the Presidential Election campaigns of the key contenders indicates that while AKD continues to gain momentum at the grassroot level, Premadasa’s vote base seems static while there is an increase in Wickremesinghe’s base. 

It is also assessed that Wickremesinghe will only be able to make a play for the presidency if he is placed among the top two at the close of polls, while AKD stands a chance of winning if he polls around 45% of the total valid votes.

Hence, it is evident that the Presidential Election is still an open field for the key contenders, with no clear winners.

President Wickremesinghe meanwhile has criticised Premadasa and AKD for what he terms as ‘false promises’ about tax reductions, warning that they are repeating the same mistakes that led to the country’s economic downturn. He had reminded of the economic collapse caused by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s tax cuts and urged them not to forget that lesson.

Be that as it may, one of the key features of the 2024 Presidential Election is the split of many political parties, starting from the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and now the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK).

ITAK split

The split in the ITAK, which is one of the key Tamil political parties in the country, came as a surprise to many.

The statements made by senior members of ITAK on the party’s support for candidates at the upcoming polls, it is learnt, have resulted in much displeasure among the Tamil communities in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. The divisions among the northern Tamil political parties have irked Tamil citizens for some time and this dissension is now on the rise.

The ITAK split came about following a meeting of the party’s Central Committee that met last Sunday (1) to discuss the manifestos presented by the three key candidates at the Presidential Election, with particular focus on the Tamil national question.

Until Sunday’s Central Committee meeting, TNA Member of Parliament (MP) M.A. Sumanthiran maintained during the previous week that the TNA was yet to make a decision on which candidate to support at the Presidential Election. During an interview on a private media channel, he said that there was no hurry to make a final decision on supporting a candidate since the TNA could even decide a day prior to the election on its support.

TNA’s history

While the TNA is not a registered political party, it was first formed by the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), and Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) as an alliance of northern Tamil political parties to contest the 2001 Parliamentary Elections. In 2001, the TNA contested under the TULF and its symbol of the ‘sun’.

However, from 2004, the TNA contested under the key constituent party of the TULF, which is the ITAK and its ‘house’ symbol.

The ACTC moved out of the TNA in 2010 and formed the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) under the leadership of MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam. Afterwards several other individuals in the TNA left and joined the TNPF.

The crisis

However, the crisis within the ITAK started with the holding of a Central Committee meeting in Vavuniya last Sunday, which a group of senior ITAK members including its Leader-elect S. Shritharan had not attended. 

Seniors including Shritharan, Mavai Senathirajah, Charles Nirmalanathan, and a group of others claim that the meeting held last Sunday was not an official Central Committee meeting of the ITAK since many senior members had not been informed of the meeting and therefore it was in contravention of the ITAK Constitution.

A letter dated 28 August had stated that a meeting of ITAK’s Central Committee would be held in Vavuniya on 1 September. This letter, it is learnt, had been issued to all Central Committee members on 29 August. However, Shritharan’s camp claims that written notice should be given seven days prior to a Central Committee meeting according to the party’s Constitution. 

There are several points noted by the senior ITAK members who had not attended last Sunday’s Central Committee meeting. Among these points is the fact that a meeting held in contravention of the party Constitution is invalid and that a decision taken at such a meeting would also stand invalid. 

Another point is that Shritharan had met Senathirajah on 26 August and informed of his overseas trip and sought for the Central Committee meeting to be held after his return to the country on Saturday (7). “I am going to England on 29 August and will be back on 6 September. It would be good if important meetings are not held during this period,” Shritharan had told Senathirajah.

The other fact is that Senathirajah had accepted Shritharan’s request and had agreed to hold a meeting of the ITAK Central Committee between 8 and 10 September.

However, ITAK Party President Senathirajah, President-elect Shritharan, Vanni District MP Nirmalanathan, Seeniththamby Yogeswaran, Sreenesan, Saravanapavan, and President’s Counsel K.T. Thavarasa had not attended last Sunday’s Central Committee meeting.

It is learnt that out of 46 Central Committee members, only 25 had been present at last Sunday’s meeting and six of the members who had attended the meeting had expressed their support for the Tamil common candidate. According to the Shritharan camp, the decision to support SJB candidate Premadasa at the Presidential Election had been taken by 19 members who are supportive of Sumanthiran. 

It is also learnt that the letter informing of the Central Committee meeting that was held last Sunday had not been received by Sreenesan and Yogeswaran from Batticaloa even when Sumanthiran had made a public announcement of the ITAK meeting. 

The decision to support Premadasa by the ITAK had been made in such a backdrop. The Shritharan camp has therefore claimed that some members in the party had worked surreptitiously to reach a decision on backing Premadasa at the Presidential Election without the participation of many party seniors. 

Senathirajah meanwhile claimed that the decision announced by Sumanthiran was not the official decision of the ITAK.

Meeting diaspora

It is learnt that Shritharan was in the UK last weekend to meet with key members of the Tamil diaspora to secure the funding required for the campaign of the Tamil common candidate.

It was certain sections of the Tamil diaspora which had pushed for the fielding of a common Tamil candidate at the Presidential Election. Informed sources told ‘The Black Box’ that Shritharan’s visit to the UK had been successful, having secured the funds required for the common candidate’s campaign.

The waste

However, Sumanthiran has continuously maintained that there are only three key candidates at the Presidential Election and that the rest of the candidates contesting is a waste. 

As for the common Tamil candidate, the TNA MP said during a recent political interview that it was a waste. He referred to the fielding of a Tamil common candidate as “a tremendous blunder by some Tamil parties and organisations. It takes away the votes that should be cast for a constructive purpose of actually electing a president. The whole idea is a nonsensical one”.

“We should bargain with main candidates and prospective winners, and ensure the person we choose actually wins the election,” Sumanthiran has added.

Sajith’s group elated

As soon as Sumanthiran made the announcement that the ITAK would support Premadasa at the Presidential Election, Premadasa thanked the party for deciding to support him through a message on X.

Premadasa loyalists and media groups immediately started to claim that Premadasa’s victory at the Presidential Election was now sealed. 

They pointed out that Premadasa had the support of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) in the east, and the support of the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) in the up-country and therefore the support of the ITAK from the north meant Premadasa had the support of all main political groups representing the minority communities.

Premadasa supporters were so elated by Sumanthiran’s statement that some loyalists even put up posts on social media questioning whether India was also supporting Premadasa’s victory, given the ITAK decision.

These Premadasa supporters tried to imply that the recent visit to Sri Lanka by India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, where he met with the four key contenders at the Presidential Election and the northern Tamil party leaders, had resulted in India sending out a message to the ITAK to extend support to Premadasa.

India irked

However, some posts by Premadasa loyalists on social media, especially on X, dragging India into the SJB campaign did not sit well with India.

It is learnt that screenshots of some of the posts on social media touting Indian support for Premadasa had been sent to officials at India’s High Commission in Sri Lanka and in New Delhi.

It is also learnt that several Indian diplomatic officials had objected to the social media posts and the spreading of news that India was supporting Premadasa with key Premadasa confidants.

Soon afterwards, several posts that were put up by Premadasa loyalists on social media were taken down. One of the key posts that captured the attention of many was posted by SJB Youth National Organiser Chamith Wijesundera on X at 16.39 on 1 September, where he had stated: “…India sent the msg…!!!”

Wijesundera’s post was taken down a while later, but the Wickremesinghe camp made sure that they had taken screenshots of the post before it was taken down.

RW calls Mavai

As soon as Sumanthiran’s statements made it to the public domain, Wickremesinghe had called Senathirajah to inquire into what had happened.

Senathirajah had told Wickremesinghe that Sumanthiran’s announcement did not reflect the official stance of the party. He had further noted that he was not even aware of a meeting being held that day to decide on the party’s stance at the Presidential Election.

According to Senathirajah, the decision announced by Sumanthiran to support Premadasa could not be taken as an official party decision.

Leadership crisis

However, following the death of TNA Leader R. Sampanthan, a leadership crisis has erupted within the ITAK.

TNA MP Shritharan and Sumanthiran were the frontrunners at the ITAK leadership election. While Shritharan was declared the winner of the election that was held to determine the new ITAK leader, a group of ITAK members supporting Sumanthiran had declined to accept the result of the vote and initiated legal action. The matter is currently before court.

Nevertheless, Senathirajah remains the ITAK President.

Misquoting Mavai

Amidst the chaos related to the ITAK’s stance on the Presidential Election, last Tuesday (3) saw several media outlets claiming that Senathirajah had had a change of heart and had decided to extend support to SJB’s Premadasa at the election.

What seemed like Senathirajah’s U-turn on his support at the Presidential Election resulted in another round of chaos in the political scene.

However, Senathirajah told ‘The Black Box’ that he had been misquoted and that there was no change in his stance. He claimed that the ITAK had not had a Central Committee meeting and that the party had not made any official decision on backing Premadasa.

Hearing Senathirajah’s statement, it was evident that the SJB media machinery was at work and was getting stories planted in the media. Several websites also published stories of Senathirajah’s U-turn and had not clarified the stories even after being informed that Senathirajah was being misquoted in the relevant story.

Son takes charge

However, it was later revealed that Senathirajah’s son, who is currently looking into his affairs due to his ill health, had held a discussion with Premadasa and his loyalists in Colombo. Senathirajah’s son had reportedly stated that his father was supportive of Premadasa and that he had made the statement to the media without proper knowledge of the party’s decision.

A pro-Premadasa media outlet stated that Senathirajah’s son had pledged his support and that of his father to Premadasa. The story further claimed that Senathirajah’s son had also connected his father and Premadasa for a brief discussion over the phone.

Shritharan’s stance

Shritharan meanwhile says that a majority of the party (ITAK), amounting to around 80%, is supporting Tamil common candidate P. Ariyanethiran at the upcoming Presidential Election.

Shritharan, who was in the UK last week, told ‘The Black Box’ that he had not changed his stance of supporting the Tamil common candidate at the upcoming polls. He further noted that the recent announcement made by some ITAK members of supporting another candidate was a decision reached by a few party members.

Hitting the team

While the ITAK split made waves last week, the Wickremesinghe camp, it is learnt, is looking at hitting out at Premadasa’s statement that he has the best team to steer the country into prosperity. This is a statement Premadasa continuously claims at public engagements. 

The Wickremesinghe camp is looking at pointing out that the election on 21 September is to elect a president and not a Parliamentary Election to elect a government. One of the key focal points to be taken up is the comparison drawn between Premadasa and former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa (GR). 

Several campaign leads in the Wickremesinghe camp have noted that like Premadasa at present, GR had also claimed that he had the team to address the issues faced by the country. “We all know what happened to the country because of the team and Gotabaya. Some of his key team members are now with Sajith (Premadasa),” dissident SLPPer Nimal Lanza had pointed out to the campaign media team.

One of the videos being circulated on the matter is from 15 October 2019, in which a question is posed to GR, when engaged in his Presidential Election campaign, about his plan on the repayment of foreign debt; GR immediately turns to SLPP Leader, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR) and it is MR who responds to the question.

Pushed outdoors

On the election campaign trail, President Wickremesinghe has finally managed to get his party organisers and members to mobilise at grassroot level.

The United National Party (UNP) officially launched its islandwide grassroot-level campaign yesterday (7) and is expected to continue until the halt of campaigning on 18 September.

Several other contenders at the polls also launched their ground-level campaigns yesterday.

Palitha’s grievance

Meanwhile, the recent issue of UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara is yet to be fully resolved, with the party still reeling from the controversy surrounding the key office bearer.

However, it is now learnt that apart from the issue of being sidelined in Government-related work, Range Bandara also had a grievance related to the compensation that was due for his house that was burnt down during the ‘Aragalaya’. 

Range Bandara had requested that the compensation monies be given under his name, but he had been informed by the authorities that the monies could not be given to him since the asset was under his wife’s name. He had then forwarded his request to higher offices of the Government, but his request had not been granted.

These issues had left him in a disgruntled state, resulting in him staying away from his office in Sirikotha as well as taking a backseat in the campaign work.

When Wickremesinghe had decided to replace him following talk of Range Bandara’s possible defection to the SJB, Range Bandara had informed UNP Working Committee member Ronald Perera that he would resign and that there was no need to sack him from the post of UNP General Secretary. However, Range Bandara is yet to submit his letter of resignation to the party leadership.

Not joining UNP

Meanwhile, the SLPP dissidents in the Wickremesinghe camp are resolute in their stance of not joining the UNP although they are supporting the President in the Presidential Election campaign.

This was made public recently by dissident SLPP MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage, who said at a public event in Nawalapitiya that the SLPPers supporting Wickremesinghe would never join the UNP.

When a group of SLPPers walked out of the SLPP to support Wickremesinghe, there was uncertainty about their political futures and the common belief was that they would join the UNP after supporting Wickremesinghe.

However, the SLFP Nimal Siripala de Silva faction and a group of SLPP dissidents led by Lanza and Anura Priyadarshana Yapa took steps to form an alliance under the SLFP-led People’s Alliance (PA) to contest future elections. This alliance believed that the rest of the SLPP dissidents would also join their fold.

Nevertheless, the SLPP dissidents led by Prasanna Ranatunga, Aluthgamage, and co. decided to form a separate political alliance together with former SLPP Local Government and Provincial Council members in the Wickremesinghe camp.

Another alliance

The new SLPP dissident-led alliance was finally launched last Thursday (5) at the Waters Edge hotel in Battaramulla.

The new SLPP breakaway alliance, named the Podujana Eksath Nidahas Peramuna (an amalgamation of SLPP, SLFP, and United People's Freedom Alliance [UPFA] groups) under the ‘trophy’ symbol, is planning on being part of a broad political alliance at the next Parliamentary Election. While Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena serves as the Leader of the new party, Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana is the General Secretary and Ranatunga is the National Organiser.

The ‘trophy’ symbol was at one time used by the JVP as well. That was when the party contested as a member of an alliance – the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) – led by Field Marshal MP Sarath Fonseka at the 2010 Parliamentary Election. Field Marshal Fonseka at the time was behind bars and the election campaign was led by his wife, Anoma Fonseka.

Despite the urgency for the SLPP dissidents to officially form their alliance, they were faced with the issue of registering a new political party at the Election Commission during an election period.

During the discussion on how they could secure a registered political party to form their new alliance, Minister Tiran Alles had come forward saying he was prepared to give his political party to form the alliance.

Tiran’s party

In 2010, the DNA consisted of the JVP, Democratic National Front (DNF), Democratic United National Front (DUNF), People’s Tamil Congress, and Muslim Voice.

However, a fact that many did not know is that the ‘trophy’ is the symbol of the DNF, where Minister Alles served as the General Secretary. It is a registered political party at the Election Commission. 

Alles first entered Parliament in 2010 through the National List slot secured by the DNF at the polls. It is learnt that Alles could yet again secure a National List slot at the next Parliamentary Election through the newly-formed Podujana Eksath Nidahas Peramuna.

Prasanna’s name

However, it was Minister Ranatunga who had been tasked with coming up with a suitable name for the new alliance and he had proposed the name ‘Podujana Eksath Nidahas Peramuna’. 

Ranatunga had asked other MPs in the alliance to also propose names for the alliance. While several names had been proposed by MPs, there had been various issues with them, such as being astrologically inauspicious or already in use in some form by other parties.

Finally, it was decided that the name proposed by Ranatunga was the best given that it had also met the astrological requirements. The names had been checked for astrological concerns by a Buddhist monk closely affiliated to Alles.

Think tank

Wickremesinghe meanwhile has called on his teams to expose a leader of a think tank that has continuously been issuing statements and surveys negative to Wickremesinghe and the Government.

The President had revealed that this think tank head had requested to be appointed as the chairman of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) but that he (Wickremesinghe) had ignored the request. This think tank head had then informed several senior Government members that he could coordinate the Government’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

However, when all these requests had been ignored by Wickremesinghe, this think tank head had started issuing reports negative to the Government.

Door-to-door fears

Meanwhile, the reason for the lack of interest shown by some dissident SLPPers in the Wickremesinghe camp to engage in a grassroot-level campaign was informed to the President by several of his confidants.

It is learnt that supporters of some dissident SLPP members had expressed fears over carrying out a door-to-door campaign due to the opposition they could face by the general public. The supporters had noted that they faced the possibility of being chased away by some people due to their anger towards the SLPP and some towards the Government.

Wickremesinghe’s door-to-door campaign has now fallen on the UNP and SLFP.

Changing plans

Meanwhile, the Wickremesinghe camp had initially made plans for former SJB MP Thalatha Atukorale to get on stage with the President at the Mathugama rally held last Thursday (5).

However, the plan was shelved at the last minute given that the key role in organising the event was played by the SLPP. 

It is learnt that the new plan is for Atukorale to get on stage with Wickremesinghe at the Welimada rally today (8), which is being organised by Harin Fernando.

Cutting down rallies

President Wickremesinghe meanwhile has also directed his campaign leads to cut down the number of rallies that had been planned earlier.

Wickremesinghe had pointed out that it was better to source the large sums of monies spent on one election rally to other areas of the campaign, especially the ground-level campaign. It is learnt that everyone needs to be mindful of the campaign finance laws in place given that it could pose a problem after the elections.

It is also learnt that the Wickremesinghe camp had initially planned to hold 90 rallies islandwide and has cut down 30 rallies, with the plan now being focused on a total of 60 islandwide rallies. Some rallies that were planned in certain areas have been amalgamated with the main rally planned in those areas.

Doubts over Shasheendra

Meanwhile, President Wickremesinghe last week decided to remove four State Ministers who have extended their support to SLPP presidential candidate Namal Rajapaksa from their posts.

The removal of Premalal Jayasekara, Indika Anuruddha, Mohan De Silva, and Siripala Gamlath from their state ministerial portfolios has raised doubts about a Rajapaksa family member in the Government – State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa.

Several SLPPers at the Party Headquarters at Nelum Mawatha had questioned why Shasheendra had not been removed from his state ministerial portfolio when four others had been removed for supporting Namal.

Both Shasheendra and his father, former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, had maintained that the SLPP should not field a separate candidate and that they should support President Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Election.

However, with the SLPP decision to field Namal as its candidate at the polls, Chamal and Shasheendra remained silent and Chamal was seen at the event held for Namal to sign nomination papers.

Sajith’s blueprint

Meanwhile, Premadasa’s revised economic blueprint was launched last Wednesday (4) as a 60-page book.

It is learnt that the new blueprint will form the base of Premadasa’s campaign in the next few days. It is also learnt that the original members of the SJB Economic Committee – Dr. Harsha de Silva, Eran Wickramaratne, and Kabir Hashim – will once again be taken to the forefront of Premadasa’s campaign to present the SJB’s economic recovery plan.

The three-member Economic Committee had been quite sidelined in the past few months by several dissident SLPPers who had joined the SJB fold, especially by Dr. Nalaka Godahewa who became one of Premadasa’s key economic advisors.

However, given the growing dissension within the SJB and among SJB supporters against Dr. Godahewa, Premadasa has taken steps to keep him (Godahewa) aside until the conclusion of the Presidential Election and has taken de Silva, Wickramaratne, and Hashim to the front.

Push to unite

Meanwhile, there’s a push among groups in the UNP and SJB to unite the two parties in order to defeat JVP/NPP Leader AKD, who is showing much gain on the ground.

Several businesspeople who are affiliated to both the UNP and SJB have initiated a programme to try and unite the UNP and SJB.

The growing pressure for the UNP and SJB to unite was witnessed by the statement made in Parliament by former SJB MP Atukorale, which was followed last week with another by State Minister Arundika Fernando.

Fernando in his statement in Parliament pointed out the need for the UNP and SJB to unite. He then claimed that he would become independent in Parliament and would talk with the parties that could win the election and prevent the destruction that was looming (referring to the possible victory of the JVP/NPP).

Arundika joins alliance

Meanwhile, Fernando, after claiming he would sit independently in Parliament, was seen at the launch of the new Podujana Eksath Nidahas Peramuna alliance.

Many in the Wickremesinghe camp and the camps of the other key contenders thought that Fernando’s vote was lost to the President and that he would definitely join the SJB. However, Fernando’s presence at the new alliance launch had surprised many, including some in the Wickremesinghe camp.

Seeing Fernando at the event, another dissident SLPP MP had asked him what he was doing there. Fernando had responded saying that he would join any alliance that could defeat the threat posed by the ‘unholy’ alliance.

Discussions, denials

It is also learnt that a former minister in the Wickremesinghe camp had even held a discussion on the matter with SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara.

It is important for these negotiators to understand that neither Wickremesinghe nor Premadasa are prepared to play second fiddle to the other. Premadasa will expect Wickremesinghe to back out of the presidency and support his claim to office while Wickremesinghe will also have the same expectation from Premadasa. Hence, there is no point in pushing for the UNP and SJB to unite without understanding the psyche of the two leaders.

Upon hearing of attempts to unite the UNP and SJB, both Wickremesinghe and Premadasa have turned down the moves, mainly due to the mutual dislike harboured by the two leaders.

Finally, the SJB last week made a public statement that there was no plan for the party to unite with the SJB. MP Mujibur Rahman and Imthiaz Bakeer Markar both made public statements that the SJB had no intention of joining with the UNP.

The AKD threat

Nevertheless, with the three main contenders now in a league of their own, leaving behind the rest of the contenders, AKD has become a common enemy for many.

It is Wickremesinghe’s campaign that is witnessing a ground movement along with AKD’s campaign. Wickremesinghe’s clash therefore is now with AKD.

When taking a look at the grassroot level movements, it is evident that despite the gains of the Wickremesinghe campaign, AKD’s campaign is moving more aggressively.

JVP/NPP Executive Committee member Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa last week claimed that a significant conspiracy was underway to tarnish the party’s reputation. He had referred to a video that was being shared on social media that showed a meeting between President Wickremesinghe and SJB MP S.M. Marikkar, suggesting a coordinated effort to spread false accusations against the JVP/NPP.

Working with the IMF

Meanwhile, the business forum that was held last week by the JVP/NPP at the Monarch Imperial hotel in Thalawathugoda saw a large number of business leaders and diplomats in attendance.

Addressing the gathering, JVP/NPP presidential candidate AKD stated that he had no plans to unilaterally move out of the IMF’s ongoing agreement with Sri Lanka. 

“Sri Lanka’s foreign relations and transactions are all inside the IMF basket. The entire future programme is tied with the IMF. Therefore, if someone unilaterally decides to withdraw from this programme, it is also a withdrawal from responsibility to the citizens and the country,” he noted.

He also emphasised that while certain parameters prescribed by the IMF for Sri Lanka were not necessarily unfavourable, the issue lay in how to achieve these targets. “There can be many proposals on how to meet these goals. All our discussions and amendments will remain within the framework of both their targets and ours,” the JVP/NPP Leader added. 

AKD further assured that the JVP/NPP would not make any decision that would have an adverse impact on the economy that is in recovery mode.

Accusing RW

Meanwhile, AKD further accused President Wickremesinghe over the instability in the stock market at present and the fear among investors to come into the country.

He pointed out that the statements being made by the President, who is also the Finance Minister, that the country’s economy is going to experience a downfall in a few weeks has created a negative impact on the economy.

According to AKD, the general public should not fear the JVP/NPP economic policies since the policies have not been made following ‘Saradiel’ principles. He added that there was no truth to claims that a JVP/NPP government would take over private businesses or houses.

SJB’s youth attack

The SJB meanwhile, it is learnt, has already commenced several campaigns targeting AKD to prevent any further gains being made by AKD. 

In order to carry out this anti-AKD and anti-JVP/NPP campaign, the SJB has formed several groups; one is a group of youth that has been set up to attack AKD while the other is a group of newcomers to the SJB who have made attacking AKD their main task. Among the senior SJBers attacking the JVP/NPP and AKD are Patali Champika Ranawaka, Marikkar, and Sujeewa Senasinghe.

It is also learnt that the SJB seniors have directed their ‘attack force’ to focus on the fact that AKD was a former Cabinet Minister, since a group of JVPers held ministerial portfolios during the tenure of Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (CBK). This tactic is aimed at targeting the stance maintained by the JVP/NPP and AKD that the party had not been able to prove itself since it had not been in governance.

More to attack

The SJB election campaign heads, it is learnt, are also looking at getting more faces into the party’s lead campaign work, including the likes of de Silva, Wickramaratne, Hashim, Rohini Wijeratne Kavirathna, and several others, who have until now been kept behind the scenes.

It is also learnt that SLPP dissidents like Dr. Godahewa have been asked to maintain a low profile during the campaign period since there has been much criticism over his roles in the Rajapaksa Governments of MR and GR.

Fear campaign

Meanwhile, the Wickremesinghe camp has also planned a campaign against AKD. This campaign is to be taken to its peak from this week onwards.

The focus of the Wickremesinghe campaign is to create a fear psychosis among the people on what could happen if the JVP/NPP wins at the Presidential Election, especially the impact on the country’s economic recovery programme.

Wickremesinghe last week questioned the public on whether they wanted to see the rupee fall to Rs. 370 or Rs. 400 against the dollar again. He noted that Sri Lanka now needed to strengthen the rupee and create jobs, that it was essential to solidify the economic stability achieved at present, and that the Government’s goal was to ease the burden on people’s lives.

“Anura and Sajith claim they will reduce taxes. But when taxes are reduced, Government revenue declines. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa did the same, and as a result, people ended up in long queues. Do we really want to see the rupee fall to 370 or 400 against the dollar again? I say to them: stop making false promises,” he added.

Manage for Sajith

Pemasiri Manage, a candidate at the Presidential Election, has meanwhile publicly spoken in support of SJB candidate Premadasa.

Manage, a former JVP MP, had attended the SJB rally in Tangalle and delivered a speech as well.

He had left the JVP to support the SLPP later on and had handed over nominations as an independent candidate at the upcoming polls.

Rohini’s second vote

Meanwhile, SJB MP Kavirathna has called on UNPers to mark the second preferential vote for Premadasa at the elections.

Kavirathna’s request has surprised many UNPers, who claim that some SJBers have been waxing eloquent on Premadasa’s definite victory at the Presidential Election, while the likes of Kavirathna, who is now being used to replace Atukorale in the campaign trail, have asked for a second preferential vote for Premadasa.

Kavirathna’s move has prompted some UNPers to question if Premadasa is not fully confident of winning at the election.

Working on Waleboda

Meanwhile, the SJB is also looking at getting Ratnapura District MP Gamini Waleboda to join the Premadasa camp.

Waleboda is currently on the Government side and the SJB side is sure of securing his defection in the next few days.

Waleboda however remains silent without responding on whether he will be crossing over to the SJB.

RW-Anura deal

The SJB has also launched another campaign to hit both Wickremesinghe and AKD. Accordingly, a campaign has been planned to attack the two candidates, claiming a deal between the two.

Premadasa has also stated that there should be more hits by his campaign on the ‘RW-AKD’ deal. Several members in the SJB media team had discussed that Wickremesinghe’s support towards AKD was evident with the ITN inviting him (AKD) to the channel the day before postal voting.

Meanwhile, the SJB’s Marikkar claimed at a news conference last Thursday (5) that there was a clear deal between Wickremesinghe and AKD, given Wickremesinghe’s statement that AKD had overtaken Premadasa in the Presidential Election race and that there was no point in voting for Premadasa as a result. “Ranil Wickremesinghe now knows he cannot win. So now his only intention is to defeat Premadasa,” Marikkar added.

SJB’s Economic Head Dr. de Silva also spoke of the Wickremesinghe-AKD deal when he told the media that there was no deal between Wickremesinghe and Premadasa and that the real deal was between Wickremesinghe and AKD. Dr. de Silva further noted that regardless of Wickremesinghe’s statements, survey reports had clearly shown that Premadasa was leading the election race, with AKD at the second slot and Wickremesinghe in third place.

Sajith’s plea

Meanwhile, Premadasa has also taken up the issue of the Wickremesinghe-AKD deal.

He said during a public rally that people should not waste their votes by casting them for Wickremesinghe or AKD since the ‘green elephants’ and ‘red elephants’ had already done their deals.

Premadasa noted that Wickremesinghe had already understood that he was going to be defeated at the election. “I have a request for UNPers. Please don’t waste your vote,” he added.

RW hits back

Wickremesinghe also hit back at the SJB campaign saying that a vote for Premadasa would be akin to giving ‘oxygen’ to AKD. 

“Sajith (Premadasa) cannot defeat Anura Kumara (AKD). Anura Kumara Dissanayake was created by Sajith Premadasa. An opposition leader should know how to control the other parties in the opposition. What did Sajith Premadasa do? He couldn’t do this. He went to Parliament every day and delivered speeches. 

“What has happened is Anura Kumara, who had around 2%, has now awakened. Now Sajith has to compete with Anura Kumara,” Wickremesinghe claimed, adding that a vote for Premadasa would indirectly support AKD.

He claimed that Premadasa did not represent the UNP and that he (Wickremesinghe) represented the UNP. “I ask UNPers not to vote for Sajith.”

SJB for Namal

However, amidst the ongoing media campaigns of the key contenders, a trend has been witnessed where the social media teams of the SJB are either directly or indirectly supporting SLPP candidate Namal.

While this has been an emerging trend since the defection of a group of senior SLPPers to support Wickremesinghe and Namal’s announcement as the party’s presidential candidate, the trend saw a boost last week over the story that several SLPPers who had extended support to Wickremesinghe were now looking at returning to the SLPP.

An incident where a group of SLPPers currently in the Wickremesinghe camp met with SLPP theoretician Basil Rajapaksa last week to look at returning to the party fold was carried on social media outlets supporting SJB candidate Premadasa and these posts had been boosted by them as well. Ordinarily, this news would have been something that Namal would get his media team to publicise and boost. However, this time around, the SJB team seems to be doing the work for Namal.

Namal’s manifesto

SLPP presidential candidate Namal Rajapaksa launched his election manifesto – ‘Namal Dekma’ – last Monday at the ITC Ratnadipa hotel in Colombo.

Promising change under his leadership, Namal has also vowed to systematically amend the Value-Added Tax (VAT) and Pay as You Earn (PAYE) Tax. 

Namal has said that his government will also continue with some of the policies of his father, SLPP Leader and former President MR. Former President GR, former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, and former Minister Basil Rajapaksa were also present at the manifesto launch.

MR behind the scenes

Meanwhile, MR’s absence on Namal’s stage has caught the attention of SLPPers as well.

However, it is learnt that Namal’s campaign had made a conscious decision to make Namal stand as his own person, moving out of what seemed like his father’s shadow. 

A senior SLPPer in Namal’s campaign noted that MR was staying away in order to ensure that all focus during the campaign was on Namal. It has been decided that Namal should be promoted and given the full attention of the media and the public and that MR’s presence could divert this attention.

However, MR is to join Namal at several key rallies planned during the last week of campaigning.