• AKD Govt. decides against populist decisions; CEB proposes to hold on to current electricity tariffs
• AKD decides to inform India’s Modi of the need for more time to re-evaluate projects in Sri Lanka
• New constitution to solve issues, PC Polls end of next year, no PTA suppression, AKD tells ITAK MPs
• Focus on Speaker’s education qualifications; Opposition moots no-faith motion despite likely defeat
• Govt. to take COPE chair due to probes on former govt.s; COPA, COPF for Opposition, SJB tussle starts
• Sajith back in Opposition Leader’s seat, adjoining seat occupied by Ravi; Archchuna’s dramas continue
• SJB’s National List controversy deepens with threats of legal action; coalition parties ask for MOU deal
• SJB decides to appoint Mano from National List; Sajith torn between Sujeewa, FPC, SLFP Dayasiri group
• Sajith loyalists blame SJBers carrying out RW agenda; discussions on leadership council led by Harsha
• NDF National List slot creates further clashes; Kanchana, Dinesh, Faiszer, Tiran stake a claim for the seat
• RW sidelines Ravi, says Anuradha is NDF group leader in House; no letter from NDF Gen. Sec. Sharmila
• Parliament staff considers Ravi NDF group leader since no official communication received from NDF
• ‘Gas cylinder’ alliance members say Sharmila could fill the vacant National List slot or nominate anyone
• SLPP dissidents meet at Madhura’s, cut Mahindananda’s birthday cake, make key political decisions
• Rajitha contemplates legal action for recount of preferential votes; Dayasiri seeks SLFP leadership

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his Government, it seems, have understood the complexities of governance and the sensitivities surrounding the country’s fragile economy. It is these reasons that seem to be pushing President AKD and his Government to follow economic principles in decision-making processes rather than give way to populist moves despite pledges and statements made on the election campaign trail.

Last week’s move by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to propose to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) to maintain the existing electricity tariffs without changes for the next six months indicates the administration’s awareness of economic realities. The CEB had stated that the decision to maintain the current tariffs aimed to provide stability for consumers amidst prevailing economic challenges.

The recent statement by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) trade union leader, Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe that electricity tariffs would be reduced by 30% within three years further indicated that the hard truths about the country’s economic state had sunk in with the JVP/National People’s Power (NPP) Government.

The AKD Government, while leaving no stone unturned when it comes to curtailing State expenditure, has understood that anti-corruption measures and curtailing State wastage is only part of addressing the country’s economic woes. 

It is learnt that the new Government’s decision to hold a low-key affair to open the 10th Parliament and for the President to deliver the Government’s policy statement has resulted in an 80% savings from the inaugural sessions of Parliament that had been held with much fanfare during previous years.

It is against such a backdrop that the AKD Government last Thursday (5) presented an interim Vote on Account for the initial four months of 2025, showing an allocation of close to Rs. 1,402 billion for maintaining State affairs, such as recurrent and capital expenditure, public debt servicing, and debt restructuring expenses. The Government is currently engaged in drafting the framework for the 2025 Budget that will also align with the country’s ongoing programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Meeting Tamil MPs

One of the key political meetings convened by President AKD last week was his discussion with the parliamentary representatives of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK). The meeting took place last Wednesday (4) at the Presidential Secretariat and was attended by ITAK Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

The meeting was focused on discussing the long-standing issues of the Tamil people in the north and east, along with the Tamil politicians pointing out the importance of a solution to the national question.

ITAK MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam noted that the issues of the release of lands occupied by the military in the north as well as the need to release Tamil political prisoners who have been incarcerated for many years were also discussed with the President.

On the issue of a political settlement to the Tamil national question, President AKD, it is learnt, had told the Tamil MPs that the conversation on the matter should continue and that the issues could be addressed through a new constitution. However, the drafting and introduction of a new constitution, according to the President, will take around two to three years.

However, without commenting on the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, the President, after stating that a solution to the Tamil national question would be addressed in a new constitution, had also informed the Tamil MPs that the delayed Provincial Council (PC) Elections would be held towards the end of next year.

When the Tamil MPs had expressed concerns about the Government’s enforcement of the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to arrest several individuals over social media posts on Maaveerar Naal celebrations last month, AKD had explained that the PTA was only used to prevent the spread of racism and communal hatred and would not be used as a tool for suppression in the future.

The Tamil MPs had also pointed out to the President that people of the north and east were rejecting the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) mechanism as it operated without a legal process. ITAK MP Rasamanickam said that the Tamil MPs had informed the President of the OMP mechanism following a question raised by President AKD on their thoughts on the OMP.

Focus on Indian visit

However, President AKD’s impending first official overseas visit to India is becoming quite a challenge given that the JVP/NPP had never engaged in an overseas state visit before. The protocols and intricacies surrounding a state visit has resulted in lengthy discussions between the Indian side and Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry to finalise the programme for the visit.

It is learnt that President AKD will explain to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the new Government will require time to reevaluate the projects in the pipeline, including Indian-funded projects, especially given the many accusations levelled against some of the key projects of being marred by corruption and controversy. 

However, the President has explicitly noted that Sri Lanka is open for foreign investments and that the Government is prepared to provide the required incentives, without any irregularities witnessed during previous governments.

Be that as it may, President AKD’s Indian visit is being further complicated by statements being made by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

It is evident that Wickremesinghe, through his statements about Indo-Lanka ties, including the agreements reached by him with India during his presidency, and that President AKD would have to follow the path he (Wickremesinghe) had laid in relation to Indo-Lanka ties as well as to honour agreements signed by the former Government with India, has thrown a googly at AKD as he gears to meet the heads of the Indian Government. 

The former President’s shrewd statements have made President AKD want to set his own mark during his Indian visit without being seen as following the Wickremesinghe agenda.

It is evident that Wickremesinghe is still recovering from his disappointment of not receiving India’s support as he had expected during the Presidential Election period and that he also wanted to see President AKD stumbling along his way to strengthen ties with India.

It is also learnt that the AKD Government is already in the process of reassessing the agreements signed by the Wickremesinghe Government with India as well as on other matters. The allegation that some of the agreements related to Indian projects had been carried out after monies had changed hands with several senior members of the former Government at the receiving end has posed the biggest problem for the AKD Government to proceed with the proposed projects in its present form. 

Lu meets AKD

A US delegation led by Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu, US Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Asia Deputy Assistant Administrator Anjali Kaur, US Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary Robert Kaproth, and US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung met with President AKD last afternoon (7).

The meeting, which had earlier been expected to take place on Friday (6), was delayed until 1 p.m. yesterday due to difficulties in setting a time that suited both parties. The half-hour meeting between President AKD and the US side was based on the latter’s interest in further strengthening ties between the two countries. 

The US delegation also met with Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath.

Focus on Speaker

Meanwhile, last week saw the first session of the 10th Parliament with two key debates – the one on the new Government’s policy presented by the President at the inauguration of the House last month and the one on the four-month Vote on Account presented by the Government until the 2025 Budget is presented.

However, one of the key events of last week’s session was the spotlight on Speaker Ashoka Ranwala, especially over his education qualifications which include a doctorate. Several questions were raised on social media platforms by several academics and activists on Ranwala’s doctorate, claiming there was no evidence to prove that the Speaker in fact possessed a doctorate.

Given that the JVP/NPP had been critical of some politicians over the manner in which they had secured degrees as well as doctorates and had publicised fake education qualifications of some politicians, the allegation over Speaker Ranwala’s educational qualifications, if not proven otherwise, could have a negative impact on the JVP/NPP.

Specialist Dr. Kumara Kaluarachchi of the Medical Faculty of the Rajarata University has meanwhile filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act from the Moratuwa University, asking whether Ranwala possesses a doctorate. Kaluarachchi has also posted on his Facebook page that while a doctorate would require the submission of a thesis, a search on Google Scholar for any document submitted by Ranwala for his PhD had revealed no results.

Kaluarachchi has further urged anyone among Ranwala’s batchmates to come forward and state that they were in the same batch as him.

Meanwhile, former Chairman of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya has called on Ranwala to prove that he possessed a PhD as stated by him in his credentials.

In a similar vein, former President of the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri, who has maintained a pro-NPP stance at recent elections, has said in a social media post that the Government would have to look into the educational qualifications of the Speaker and take measures to ask him to step down from his position in the House or remove him if it was proven that he had lied about his educational qualifications. 

According to Dewasiri, Ranwala has made two mistakes – the first is to claim a doctorate that he did not have and the second is to hold a key position by covering up the fact that he had lied about his educational qualifications.

However, the common sentiment is that the issue is not about whether an individual should possess a doctorate to hold the post of Speaker of Parliament, but about making false claims about educational qualifications.

Amidst the debate over Ranwala’s educational qualifications, the Opposition is looking at moving a no-confidence motion against the Speaker if it is proven that he does not hold a doctorate. A majority in the Opposition maintain that although they could lose the vote in a no-confidence motion in the House, it would leave a black mark on the JVP/NPP.

Clash over COPA, COPF

Meanwhile, the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) is now in discussions over the Opposition nominee to lead the parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) and the Committee on Public Finance (COPF).

Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake last week told the House that the Government would take the lead in the parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) while giving the lead in COPA and COPF to the Opposition. 

The Government’s reason for taking the lead in COPE was attributed to the fact that key investigations would be carried out into the conduct of previous governments and it could be a conflict of interest since most members of the Opposition had either been in or were connected to former governments.

It is learnt that the Government is considering appointing Minister Sunil Handunnetti as the COPE lead, a position which was held by him during the 2015-’20 Parliament.

As for the leads of COPA and COPF, a group of SJBers are pushing for Dr. Harsha de Silva to be appointed as the chair of one of these committees. Dr. de Silva had previously held the post of COPF Chair.

However, SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, who currently holds reservations about Dr. de Silva over his alleged affiliation to former President Wickremesinghe, has maintained that the party will make a final decision on the matter following a discussion. 

In addition, the support extended by the Wickremesinghe-led ‘gas cylinder’ alliance members to Dr. de Silva to become a chairman of one of the key parliamentary committees has further increased Premadasa’s suspicions over his MP’s (Dr. de Silva’s) affiliations to Wickremesinghe.

However, it is also learnt that Premadasa is contemplating appointing former MP Eran Wickramaratne to Parliament through the National List to chair one of the committees with the full backing of the SJB.

Ravi next to Sajith

As usual, the House was a hive of activity besides being filled with interesting moments. One of the most interesting persons followed by the media on Tuesday (3) morning when parliamentary sessions commenced was SJB and Opposition Leader Premadasa, especially after his predicament at the inaugural session of Parliament when he lost his seat to independent MP from Jaffna Dr. Ramanathan Archchuna.

On Tuesday morning, Premadasa was able to return to the Opposition Leader’s seat and several Opposition politicians were heard saying that Premadasa would have arrived in Parliament early to ensure his seat in the House was safe.

However, it was also interesting to see the MP occupying the seat to Premadasa’s left. It was none other than one-time political ally, later turned foe, Ravi Karunanayake. Seeing Premadasa and Karunanayake seated on adjoining chairs, several MPs in the Opposition side seated behind them were seen looking at the duo and commenting about the optics.

Shorter speeches

Opposition Leader Premadasa, who was criticised during the tenure of the last Parliament for his long-drawn and lengthy statements and speeches, seems to have finally heeded the criticism. 

Last week, Premadasa ensured that his statements or speeches in the House were short and precise. His first speech in Parliament was 12 minutes and was delivered to the point without repetition.  

The lengthy statements and speeches delivered by Premadasa during the previous Parliament resulted in many Opposition MPs witnessing a reduction in their speech times and complaining about it many times. Premadasa at the time had ignored the criticism of other Opposition MPs and continued with his lengthy statements and speeches.

However, the outcomes of the two recent national-level elections seem to have humbled Premadasa, who now seems to be paying attention to the sentiments of other Opposition MPs.

Archchuna’s tantrum

However, controversial MP Dr. Archchuna, who has been in the media spotlight since the inaugural session of Parliament when he forcibly occupied the Opposition Leader’s chair, made it to the news once again. 

This time he accused another member of the Opposition of assaulting him in the Opposition Leader’s Office in Parliament when he had gone to raise concerns about the time allocated for his speech in the House.

However, it is learnt that one of the main reasons for Dr. Archchuna’s tantrum over the speech time allocated to him had been the fact that his speech had been listed after that of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa. Dr. Archchuna had objected to being listed after Rajapaksa to address Parliament, claiming that he should be allotted a time to speak before the SLPP MP.

Despite attempts by staff in the Opposition Leader’s Office to explain to Dr. Archchuna that there was no ulterior motive behind listing his name after Rajapaksa to speak in Parliament and that Rajapaksa was more senior in Parliament than Dr. Archchuna, the new MP had refused to listen to the reasoning.

Assault claim

This verbal clash had intensified with several SJB MPs in the Opposition Leader’s Office also intervening to defend the staff in the office.

Dr. Archchuna claimed in the Chamber that he had been assaulted by one Sujith in the Opposition Leader’s Office.

Hearing Dr. Archchuna’s statement in the Chamber, SJB MPs Hesha Withanage and Nalin Bandara objected to his claim. Withanage claimed that TikTok MPs should not be allowed to be in the House. Bandara claimed that Dr. Archchuna had behaved badly in the Opposition Leader’s Office and that a complaint would be made about the matter to the Speaker.

SJB MP Sujith Sanjaya Perera also denied assaulting MP Dr. Archchuna while the latter shouted asking how a legislator could walk on the roads if he is being assaulted in Parliament.

Govt. gains, Opposition weak

Be that as it may, the first parliamentary session of the 10th Parliament saw the JVP/NPP Government, even with a whole group of newcomers to the House, amounting to around 149 out of 159 MPs, managing to set the tone and agenda of the session while the Opposition side was limited to pushing several slogans.

Despite key issues faced by the country such as shortages of several food commodities, high food prices, uncertainties over energy policy, protests, clashes with development officers, controversy over Korean job opportunities, enforcement of the PTA, issues over the payment of the fertiliser subsidy as well as the Rs. 3,000 increment to pension payments, and issues over providing relief to those affected by inclement weather, none of these issues were given as much prominence in Parliament as they should have been. 

Former Governor Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon pointed out that while there were many issues faced by the country, the Government side dominated by newcomers had managed to keep them out of the main parliamentary discussions. 

The Government’s focus during the last parliamentary session was on three issues – racism, accusing the Opposition of promoting racism, and bar permits issued by the former Wickremesinghe Government. It used these to hit out at the Opposition and the Opposition took the bait and continued to respond to them, instead of creating a debate on key issues.

The Opposition showed that it had failed to read the strategy adopted by the Government side. It failed to commence a discussion within Opposition parties on working as a coalition, at least within Parliament, and strategise on how to respond to the Government’s agenda and redirect discussions to showcase the many issues faced by the country and people.

Split over National List

While Parliament sessions witnessed much drama, the chaos within Opposition political parties continued unabated. The main Opposition SJB seems to be the one facing the most amount of chaos these days.

The ongoing controversy over nominating members from the SJB-led alliance to Parliament through three remaining National List slots has resulted in the alliance facing an imminent split.

The minority parties in the SJB-led alliance – the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), and Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) – had demanded one slot each from the remaining National List slots. 

The SLMC however appointed M.S. Naleem to Parliament for the National List slot secured by the party. Naleem was sworn in as an MP last Tuesday (3). However, the SLMC continues to clash with the SJB leadership over securing a National List slot from the SJB along with the ACMC and TPA. 

Meanwhile, the Freedom People’s Congress (FPC), consisting of dissident SLPP members, and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Dayasiri Jayasekara faction are also demanding National List seats.

The SJB leadership however continues to delay the final decision on the nominees through the National List due to a fear of a split in the alliance. Coalition partners of the SJB alliance however had informed Premadasa and his loyalists that they would leave the alliance if their demand for National List slots was not met. 

Premadasa, it seems, is faced with a Hobson’s choice on the issue of filling the National List slots since coalition partners could leave the alliance if he further delays nominating members, as well as if he fails to allocate three seats for the three minority parties demanding the slots.

Several senior SJBers are also vying for the four remaining National List slots after SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara entered Parliament using one of the five seats from the list and now with the SLMC taking another slot.

One of the main issues faced by Premadasa in finalising the SJB nominees to the National List is appointing former MP Sujeewa Senasinghe to Parliament. 

While Senasinghe was expected to contest the last Parliamentary Elections, he was promised a seat through the National List since the SJB could not nominate him due to objections raised by the likes of Lakshman Kiriella and Tissa Attanayake, since Senasinghe would have contested from their constituency of Kandy.

Meanwhile, there is also a push in the party to nominate Eran Wickramaratne to Parliament from the National List to prevent the limelight being focused on MP Dr. Harsha de Silva on economic matters. 

Wickramaratne contested from the Colombo District and failed to secure a seat in the House. However, a group of SJBers had made representations to Premadasa that Wickramaratne should be in the House since the Opposition requires strong individuals who can respond on economic matters.

Harini’s swipe

The SJB, which is the party of the Opposition Leader, failing to finalise its National List resulted in Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya also taking a swipe at the party leadership.

Dr. Amarasuriya noted in Parliament last Monday (2) that although there should be 225 MPs in the House, the 10th Parliament still did not have all 225 present since some parties were yet to nominate members through the National List.

She stated that one party had not been able to appoint members to the five National List slots secured by it while another party was still struggling to decide on one MP to send from its National List.

Dr. Amarasuriya noted that the JVP/NPP had always sent in its National List members without any problem – in 2020, the party had secured one seat and sent Dr. Amarasuriya to the House, while it secured 18 National List slots this year. She pointed out that the JVP/NPP was the first party to finalise its National List after the recent Parliamentary Elections.

Responding to criticism that it was easier to appoint members to fill 18 National List slots than one slot, the Prime Minister reminded that even when the JVP/NPP had secured one National List slot in 2020, the party had appointed its member without any drama.

Threat of legal action

Meanwhile, a group of coalition partners of the SJB-led alliance have threatened to resort to legal action if the SJB leadership fails to heed their demand and honour the agreement reached with each of the parties when forming the alliance that is the Samagi Jana Sandhanaya.

Several alliance partners have already informed Premadasa confidants, it is learnt, that the SJB should look at allocating the five National List slots received at the polls to coalition partners without trying to get favourites of the SJB leadership appointed to the House.

The agreement

However, it is learnt that the agreement between the SJB and minority parties was that National List seats would be allocated to them if the SJB alliance secured over five National List slots. The debate now is whether the agreement is still valid given that the alliance had secured exactly five such slots.

It is also learnt that the SJB leadership is looking at allocating a National List slot to TPA Leader Mano Ganesan, who could not enter Parliament after contesting from the Colombo District, since the Opposition requires Tamil representation from the Colombo District in the House.

Mahesh’s latest venture

Meanwhile, former Army Commander General (Retd) Mahesh Senanayake, who is also vying for a National List slot of the SJB, last week opened a new head office for his Dividena Ranaviru organisation committed to the well-being of retired military personnel.

The office is located in Pelawatte in Battaramulla and the opening of the office last Sunday (1) was intended to help in the restoration of its members’ dignity and safeguard the country from fraud or corruption. Senanayake has said that his organisation aims to work for the welfare of retired military personnel and expand its activities in collaboration with similar organisations in the country and overseas.

Dividena Ranaviru supported the SJB at the last Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.

Heated meeting

Amidst the ongoing debate on the SJB’s National List slots, the SJB parliamentary group met last Monday (2) with Premadasa at the Chair.

The meeting, it is learnt, had been quite a heated event, with some SJB MPs blaming those whom they had referred to as ‘Re Daniel, Dawal Migel’ SJBers, who had tried to carry out former President Wickremesinghe’s agenda within the SJB, for the party’s defeat at the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. It is interesting that the main speakers at the group meeting were pro-Premadasa members.

The first to speak had been MP S.M. Marikkar, who had stated that the party leadership had given prominence to three figures in the party. He was referring to the members of the SJB Economic Council – Dr. Harsha de Silva, Kabir Hashim, and Eran Wickramaratne. 

Marikkar had claimed that while the Economic Council had prepared an Economic Blueprint and promoted it at several events at five-star hotels by spending millions of rupees, the programme had failed to address the questions of the masses. The MP had further claimed that the masses did not buy into the programme promoted by the SJB Economic Council.

Marikkar had then called on the SJB leadership to give more space for young members in the party.

The next to take the floor had been MP Harshana Rajakaruna. He had claimed that only a Facebook campaign had been carried out by the economic pundits. 

“What’s happened has happened. Now let’s move forward with people who understand the ground situation,” Rajakaruna had said, while requesting the party leadership to also finalise the party’s much-debated National List slots.

Monday’s meeting also saw the appointment of MP Gayantha Karunatilleka as the Chief Opposition Whip.

Leadership council

Meanwhile, apart from facing a split in the SJB-led alliance, the SJB is also facing an internal crisis as a party following its defeat at two national elections, with last month’s Parliamentary Elections showing a massive erosion in the party’s vote base. A group of senior SJBers is looking at forming a leadership council aimed at reorganising the SJB.

The proposed leadership council is to be formed while Premadasa remains as the SJB Leader and MP Dr. de Silva is tipped to lead the council if the party moves ahead with it. Premadasa meanwhile has made public his decision to continue as the Leader of the party, saying that the SJB is a young party and has a long path ahead of it.

SJB National Organiser Tissa Attanayake is currently in hot water with the SJB leadership over his public call to restructure the party.

It is learnt that the SJB is now divided into three factions – the pro-Premadasa faction, the faction demanding the reorganisation of the SJB under Dr. de Silva, and the group that is still non-committal.

The increasing dissension among SJBers against the party leadership and a group of his confidants, whom they claim to be making key decisions related to the party, has also resulted in some turning towards the United National Party (UNP) as an alternative.

UNP in disarray

However, the UNP continues to be in disarray, with the party leadership continuing to hold the reins despite requests by many party organisers to carry out a complete overhaul of the party structure.

UNP Leader Wickremesinghe, following his return to Sri Lanka from India, had met with several senior UNPers at his Flower Road office in Colombo 7.

Despite discussions about party reforms by several UNP seniors, the rest of the party mechanism, including organisers, seems to be still reeling from the outcome of the recent Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. 

NDF crisis continues

Meanwhile, the New Democratic Front (NDF) under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol continues to witness chaos.

While clashes over the remaining National List slot continue, the latest controversy is over former President Wickremesinghe’s decision to name MP Anuradha Jayaratne as the NDF’s parliamentary group leader, sidelining MP Ravi Karunanayake, who is the most senior legislator in the NDF group. The decision to nominate Jayaratne had been made at a meeting of a group of parties that had contested under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol at the recent polls, which had been chaired by Wickremesinghe.

The NDF has five seats in Parliament – Jayaratne, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, Karunanayake, and the vacant National List slot. However, the controversy is that while Wickremesinghe had named Jayaratne as the NDF group leader in Parliament, NDF General Secretary Sharmila Perera could present an alternative name as the NDF’s parliamentary group leader.

Nevertheless, it is learnt that Parliament is looking at Karunanayake as the NDF group leader since he is the most senior among the group’s MPs and since the NDF had failed to officially inform the House regarding the NDF’s parliamentary group leader.

Sharmila’s options

However, NDF General Secretary Perera is once again in the limelight after the NDF’s National List drama over Karunanayake’s appointment to Parliament through one of the two National List slots secured by the party.

Several senior politicians who had contested and lost at the recent polls say that Perera has two options at hand. The first would be to send an alternative name, even Karunanayake whom she nominated to Parliament through the National List, as the NDF’s parliamentary group leader by ignoring Wickremesinghe’s directive. The second would be for Perera to make a unilateral decision and fill the remaining National List slot of the NDF with an individual of her choice.

SLPP dissident S.B. Dissanayake (SB), referring to the NDF’s National List battle, said that the NDF General Secretary could fill the remaining slot in the same manner in which Karunanayake was appointed to Parliament. Dissanayake further claimed that the NDF could even nominate Karunanayake’s wife to the remaining National List slot.

National List drama

However, the drama over the appointment of a member to Parliament through the NDF’s remaining National List slot has seen several parties officially stake a claim for it in writing.

While the SLPP dissident’s group under the ‘trophy’ symbol party – the Podujana Eksath Nidahas Peramuna – has proposed former Minister Kanchana Wijesekera’s name to fill the vacant National List slot of the NDF, the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) has requested Wickremesinghe to appoint former Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to Parliament through the National List. The SLFP, the New Alliance led by Nimal Lanza, and the People’s Alliance meanwhile have nominated Faiszer Musthapha, PC to the National List slot.

It is learnt that Musthapha is confident of being appointed to Parliament through the National List following an assurance to the effect given by Wickremesinghe. However, Wickremesinghe, it is learnt, had told Musthapha last week that he (Wickremesinghe) was not in charge of the appointment of a member to the National List slot and that it was now up to the alliance partners to discuss and reach a decision on the matter.

‘Trophy’ party controversy

Meanwhile, there’s also an emerging controversy over the SLPP dissidents’ ‘trophy’ party since the party happens to be former Minister Tiran Alles’ while the party is led by former Premier Gunawardena with former Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana as the General Secretary.

It is learnt that Alles is at loggerheads with the members of the ‘trophy’ party since he (Alles) is also making a play for the NDF National List slot while a majority of the party is backing Wijesekera to fill the vacant slot.

Rajitha to go to court

Meanwhile, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, who failed to secure a parliamentary seat from the Kalutara District, is considering taking legal action to call for a recount of preferential votes of the NDF. It was Rohitha Abeygunawardena who entered Parliament from the NDF in the Kalutara District.

Dr. Senaratne had earlier stated that he could not accept the final results of the preferential vote counts of the NDF in the Kalutara District. He has alleged that there was partiality in counting preferential votes and that a recount was needed.

It is learnt that Dr. Senaratne had informed several of his confidants that he wanted to take legal action against the preferential vote count outcome of the NDF given that he had lost his chance to enter Parliament by only around 100 votes.

Dayasiri turns to SLFP

Joining the chaos within the key Opposition parties, the SLFP is facing what seems like yet another leadership crisis. The SLFP has been facing a leadership crisis since last year, which ultimately resulted in the splitting of the party into several factions with several ongoing litigation processes before courts. 

However, the official office bearers of the SLFP led by former Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva are now facing a fresh challenge in the party’s power struggle.

The leadership struggle has resurfaced with the senior members of the SLFP including de Silva being defeated at the Parliamentary Elections last month. The SLFP’s former General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara, who continues to claim to be still holding the post in the party, is looking at staking a claim to the party leadership, it is learnt.

Jayasekara has claimed that he had managed to secure his parliamentary seat at the recent polls and therefore he has gained the right to lead the SLFP as the party senior to represent Parliament when other seniors have failed.

Interestingly, the only other SLFPer who managed to return to Parliament after polls was former State Minister Chamara Sampath Dasanayake from the Badulla District, who contested under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol.

SLPP dissidents move

Meanwhile, a group of around 50 former SLPP MPs who had defected from the party in the run-up to the Presidential Election in September had last week met at former MP Madhura Vithanage’s residence on Buthgamuwa Road in Rajagiriya. S.B. Dissanayake, Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Kanchana Wijesekera, Prasanna Ranatunga, Premnath C. Dolawatte, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, and many others had attended the meeting.

The discussion had conducted a postmortem on the recent elections and focused on the future course of action to be adopted by the group. A majority of the participants at the meeting had agreed that they did not have a political future in the ‘gas cylinder’ alliance, while also not being in a position to rejoin the SLPP or form an alliance with the SLFP. 

However, almost all the members at the meeting had agreed on the need for a new alliance where all Opposition parties could join forces. They had also agreed that a fresh line of thinking was needed to move forward with the participation of young politicians.

A committee headed by Dr. Pathirana was also formed at the meeting in order to initiate discussions with other political parties. SB had pointed out that this new alliance should be an official one with proper agreements signed with the partners given the bitter experience over the National List slots of the ‘gas cylinder’ alliance. Everyone had agreed and Dolawatte and Vithanage had been assigned the task of preparing the required legal framework and agreements to form the alliance.

Cake for Mahindananda

While the discussion was progressing while consuming some strong liquor, a cake prepared by Vithanage had been brought to the room by a staff member at his residence. The cake was to celebrate Aluthgamage’s birthday.

Aluthgamage was invited to cut the cake. Vithanage had then said that anyone who asked what the group of MPs was doing that day could be told that they had met to celebrate Aluthgamage’s birthday.

It was SB who walked straight into the media after the meeting. When questions were posed about what he was doing there and what was discussed, he responded saying that they were all there for a meal.

However, SB was in quite a spot since his vehicle was not there to pick him up. A video clip of the incident shows SB asking where his vehicle is and saying yes to a journalist when asked if he would have avoided the media and walked away had his vehicle been there.

Dilith continues programme

Meanwhile, Sarvajana Balaya Leader Dilith Jayaweera is continuing with his political programme, pushing his party among the public claiming that while traditional political parties are being fragmented, the only emerging political movement left in the country is the Sarvajana Balaya.

MP Jayaweera has said at a public meeting last week: “The Sarvajana Balaya has advanced by the highest percentage, while the SLPP has advanced by the lowest percentage according to the results of the last election.

“The SLPP used all its strength. The Pohottuwa (SLPP) was created solely to gather the necessary support to keep Basil Rajapaksa in politics. However, the Pohottuwa had no vision. Now that the American citizen has left the country, the mill is no longer turning.”

“If there is at least one political party that has been scattered both in the traditional and scientific sense, it is the SLPP. The traditional UNP is no more; it has become the ‘gas cylinder’. Many of its members worked hard to send Ravi Karunanayake to Parliament,” he has noted.

“The Pohottuwa has been fragmented and some of them are in the ‘gas cylinder’. The JVP has been successfully dismantled by handing over power to them. It is a dream of our Ranil Wickremesinghe that his friend Anura Kumara is now fulfilling. A political movement that was once maintained with discipline for a long time has now corrupted itself,” Jayaweera has added.