• Paris Club OCC finalises debt restructuring deal with Sri Lanka; Govt. awaiting date to sign June deal 
• EC gears for Prez Polls by directing Govt. Printer, Police, postal services, others to prepare for polls
• Chaos within UNP as Range and Ashu speak of delaying polls; irate RW reiterates holding Prez Polls
• MR reminds RW of deal to show defection of 25 SJB MPs before 15 June; SLPP decision on 16 June
• RW signs off on requests by SJB MPs to facilitate defections; several defections expected this week
• Wajira to broker peace between Lanza and Basil; RW camp to open election ops centre in Colombo
• Shehan sidelined at SLPP campaign launch in A’pura; MR, Namal ask SLPPers to focus on electorates
• Nationalist forces from former MR camp form new Sarvajana Balaya; Sarath resigns from Dilith’s MJP
• AKD issues ultimatum for 6 June debate with Sajith; SJB says talks first on Econ. Committees’ debate
• SLFP splits with two party leaders, two party head offices; court issues several orders on Rajapakshe
• Court stays Rajapakshe’s party leadership, membership; SLFP Exec Comm meeting found to be illegal

The dawn of the month of June has put the Ranil Wickremesinghe Government on a strict timeline on several fronts, key among them being the fast-approaching deadline to finalise Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring programme prior to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) decision this month on releasing the next tranche under the nearly $ 3 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with Sri Lanka.

It is learnt that the Wickremesinghe Government is confident of finalising the debt restructuring programme with bilateral donors, with the Paris Club Official Creditor Committee (OCC) on Sri Lanka having finalised the programme with the country. Diplomatic sources noted that the Paris Club OCC agreement with Sri Lanka should be signed any time this month.

The Government has also taken measures to introduce new financial legislation proposed by the IMF prior to the latter’s end-of-June deadline.

The next timeline faced by the Wickremesinghe Government is the impending Presidential Election with President Wickremesinghe vying to be the number one frontrunner in the race.

Be that as it may, the President has to convince the general public that the measures taken by him for economic recovery have in fact taken the country out of the woods, given that many Sri Lankans fear the current state of the nation as a ‘false sense of security’ with the country facing the possibility of being hit by an economic crisis yet again.

It is in such a backdrop that former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Dr. W.A. Wijewardena claimed that remittances and tourism would not provide permanent solutions to Sri Lanka’s real sector economic growth.

Speaking at a webinar organised by the International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka (ICCSL) recently, he noted that Sri Lanka’s nominal sector in the economy was performing; however the real sector performance had been poor. “It should be the real sector that should have to grow to get the benefit of economic development,” Dr. Wijewardena said.

RW’s enemies within

Apart from governance issues, President Wickremesinghe is now faced with having to fight battles within his own party – the United National Party (UNP) – and outside.

The controversial statement by UNP General Secretary Palitha Rangebandara last week, that the term of the President and Government should be extended by two years through a referendum, became one of the most viral news items on social media, with all political parties vehemently opposing any attempt to delay the holding of elections.

Rangebandara’s statement came at a time when Wickremesinghe was continuously making statements on holding the impending Presidential Election on time and had engaged in launching his campaign work for the polls. It is evident that the UNP’s leadership and General Secretary seem not to be on the same political page and that the latter is not fully aware of Wickremesinghe’s plan.

Rangebandara has for some time been disgruntled due to the feeling of being sidelined from key political decisions of the party and Government. He has also faced stiff resistance from some party seniors who have openly expressed their desire to hold the post of UNP general secretary currently held by him.

Following Rangebandara’s comments last week, there was also speculation within the UNP camp whether he was in fact trying to sabotage the work being carried out by the President.

However, a few days later, one of Wickremesinghe’s advisors, Ashu Marasinghe also noted that extending the term of the President and Government was an option if the country wanted to resolve the economic crisis.

Nevertheless, it is evident that Wickremesinghe might have to look at first fighting the enemies within his own camp before moving ahead with the polls campaign.

Wickremesinghe is also taking great efforts to position himself as a national candidate at the upcoming Presidential Election campaign and is currently carrying out multiple campaigns in the form of programmes initiated under the incumbent Government, such as ‘Aswesuma’ (welfare benefits for the needy) and ‘Urumaya’ (distribution of land deeds).

Wickremesinghe, who has not been very comfortable hobnobbing with large crowds, is now seen at many public events mingling with the general public, indicating his intention of not leaving any stone unturned when it comes to election time.

RW-Basil agreement

Meanwhile, an agreement reached between President Wickremesinghe and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) theoretician Basil Rajapaksa during their one-on-one discussions was revealed by SLPP Leader, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR) last week, when he reminded Wickremesinghe to act on it.

It is learnt that Basil’s call for President Wickremesinghe to first announce his decision on whether or not to contest the upcoming Presidential Election and that the SLPP would announce its stance afterwards, as well as the former’s announcement to the SLPP rank and file last month that the party would announce its decision on the Presidential Election in mid-June, are all tied to this agreement reached between the President and Basil.

It is also learnt that the agreement between Wickremesinghe and Basil was reached after the former had informed the latter that he could guarantee a split in the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), with as many as 25 SJB Members of Parliament (MPs) defecting to the Government to extend support to him [Wickremesinghe].

The President had then asked Basil to give him time until 15 June to get the SJB crossovers to the Government. Basil had responded that in the event Wickremesinghe managed to get 25 SJB MPs to cross over, the SLPP would definitely extend support to the President come poll time.

However, it seems Wickremesinghe’s number of 25 SJB MPs might be quite an overestimation on his part, given that the number of main Opposition MPs who have expressed interest in supporting the President currently stands at between 10-12.

It is this situation that has given way for certain news reports that there would be some political crossovers taking place this coming week. President Wickremesinghe, it is learnt, had taken steps to sign off last week on several requests presented by the SJBers as part of the agreements reached with them to facilitate their crossovers.

MR’s deadline

Be that as it may, MR last week reminded Wickremesinghe of the agreement reached between him [Wickremesinghe] and Basil along with the 15 June deadline. It is learnt that MR had informed several of his confidants that Wickremesinghe would have to show his numbers along with the SJB defectors by 15 June for the SLPP to decide on supporting the President at the Presidential Election.

However, if Wickremesinghe fails to get 25 SJB MPs to defect to the Government and extend their support to him by 15 June, the SLPP is to announce its decision on the Presidential Election on 16 June. MR had also vowed that the SLPP would move ahead with its programme come 16 June, indicating doubts over Wickremesinghe’s plans.

Nevertheless, the SLPP’s support to the President at the Presidential Election could in fact be to Wickremesinghe’s detriment, given the campaign the Opposition parties would carry out against the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa union and the continued immunity provided by Wickremesinghe to the Rajapaksas.

Gearing for campaign

Amidst the ongoing chaos over the holding of elections, which has now converted into a disinformation campaign, President Wickremesinghe, it is learnt, is considering opening his election campaign office soon as a response to the polls speculation, sending out a strong message to all parties to gear for elections.

The Election Commission (EC), meanwhile, has directed the Government Printer, Police Department, Postal Department, and other relevant State institutions to prepare for work related to elections since the country will face a national election in the coming months.

The Chairman of the EC has also announced that an election held after 15 July would use the electoral register of 2024 and that steps would be taken to finalise the list prior to 15 July.

Protesters at SLPP office

Meanwhile, the ruling SLPP faced a unique protest campaign outside its party Head Office at Nelum Mawatha in Battaramulla last Monday (27 May), when a group of protesters representing civil society organisations even carried coconuts with the names of Mahinda, Basil, and Namal for the protest.

SLPP Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, who was at the party Head Office at the time to meet Basil, came out to leave the premises during the protest and the protesters surrounded his vehicle demanding to speak to him.

Ranatunga however spoke to the media and criticised the protesters. Despite the latter surrounding the Minister’s vehicle and demanding to speak to him while banging on the shutters, the vehicle kept moving.

Prasanna’s party blues

With President Wickremesinghe’s Presidential Election campaign gathering steam with the UNP, a faction of the ruling SLPP, SLPP dissident groups, and other political parties that support the President planning to hold rallies this month, senior SLPP Minister Ranatunga, who is one of the key pro-Wickremesinghe SLPPers, had organised a dinner party recently at a hotel in Battaramulla for SLPP ministers and state ministers.

Ranatunga’s aim of hosting the dinner was to get the views of the SLPP ministers and state ministers on supporting President Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Election.

However, SLPP seniors like Basil had not been invited or informed of the dinner organised by Ranatunga. Basil had learnt of the dinner when several SLPPers invited for it had inquired from him whether he too was attending. However, Basil had then told several confidantes that there was no issue in holding such a dinner since the invite had stated it was a friendly gathering.

While the dinner was for SLPP ministers and state ministers, SLPP MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage, who is a Wickremesinghe supporter at present, had also attended the dinner.

Once the dinner was in full swing with alcoholic beverages also flowing in, several SLPP ministers had expressed their frustration over the lack of a final decision on the candidate the party would support at the Presidential Election. They had noted that Wickremesinghe was also silent on whether he would be contesting at the polls and that the SLPP was also undecided. However, Ranatunga and Aluthgamage had then explained that President Wickremesinghe would be contesting at the polls and that the necessary arrangements were currently being made.

MR’s response

However, word of Ranatunga’s party had reached the Rajapaksa family, especially SLPP Leader MR, through some of the ministers and MPs who had attended the dinner.

The SLPP MPs had asked whom the SLPP would support at the Presidential Election.

Upon hearing details about the dinner and the topic of discussion, MR, it is learnt, had told the SLPPers to stop talking and running after candidates in Colombo and to return to their respective constituencies to increase their vote bases. SLPP National Organiser Namal Rajapaksa, who had also been with MR at the time, had agreed that the SLPP MPs should spend more time in their constituencies rather than engage in idle talk. 

MR has further informed the curious MPs that the final decision on the party’s stance at the Presidential Election should be made following consultations in the party.

Shehan sidelined

The SLPP meanwhile launched its campaign targeting elections last week from the Kalawewa electorate in the Anuradhapura District under the patronage of MR, Namal, and senior SLPPers.

However, State Minister Shehan Semasinghe was a notable absentee at the Anuradhapura rally, given that the district is his constituency. 

Semasinghe’s absence at the rally is viewed as a move by Basil, who is focused on giving a fresh start to the SLPP, to axe SLPPers supportive of President Wickremesinghe.

Lanza-Basil meet

Meanwhile, following the decision of the SLPP dissidents’ group led by Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Nimal Lanza to boycott any meetings of President Wickremesinghe’s election campaign committee attended by SLPP theoretician Basil, UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena has brokered a meeting between Lanza and Basil.

The meeting between the two had been proposed by President Wickremesinghe’s side in order to iron out the differences between the Yapa-Lanza faction and Basil. It is interesting to see Lanza, who was at one point a close confidant of Basil, turning away from the Rajapaksa camp to such an extent that he is now refusing to attend meetings where Basil is present.

Lanza, it is learnt, had told Wickremesinghe that he did not have an issue in meeting with Basil but would not at any time change his political stance as well as ongoing political work. Following Lanza’s agreement to meet with Basil, Wickremesinghe had tasked Abeywardena with organising the meeting between the two.

SJB stalls debate

While President Wickremesinghe is awaiting defections from the SJB resulting in a split in the party fold, the main Opposition SJB is embroiled in a continuing debate over a debate between Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD).

The SJB says that the party is not prepared for a debate between Premadasa and AKD until the NPP agrees to participate in the other debate between the Economic Committees of the two parties.

The JVP/NPP had recently agreed to a date proposed by the SJB for a public debate between the Leaders of the two parties but had not made any mention of the debate between the Economic Committees of the parties.

As for preparations for the 6 June debate between the Leaders of the SJB and JVP/NPP, SJB MP Nalin Bandara, who has been assigned by the party to coordinate the debate on its behalf, has said the JVP/NPP has not shown interest in discussing the logistics. 

“They [the JVP/NPP] never come for any discussions with us. They always try to avoid the debate between the parties’ Economic Committees. This time too, they have agreed to hold the debate between the two Party Leaders on 6 June but have not mentioned anything about the other debate,” he said.

Bandara has further noted that the SJB does not intend to hold the debate between Premadasa and AKD until the JVP/NPP agrees to a date for the debate involving the Economic Committees.

Meanwhile, members of the SJB’s Economic Council, MPs Kabir Hashim and Eran Wickramaratne said last week that the party was prepared for debates with any political party, including leaders of the incumbent Government.

Ultimatum

The JVP/NPP on Tuesday (28 May) issued an ultimatum to the SJB and its leadership, stating that if the SJB was not prepared for the debate between Premadasa and AKD on 6 June as previously announced, there would be no further debate or discussion about the matter after 6 June.

NPP Executive Committee Member Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa told the media that they were ready to engage in discussions on preparations for the debate between the two Leaders if the SJB was prepared for the 6 June debate.

Indecisiveness

AKD meanwhile claimed that Premadasa should provide a straightforward answer, indicating clearly if he was prepared to take part in a public debate or not. AKD made these comments in response to questions posed by journalists inquiring if the much-anticipated debate between him and Premadasa was likely to take place.

The SJB meanwhile, it is learnt, is looking at moving ahead with the 6 June debate between the two Party Leaders on the condition that a date would be fixed prior to the Premadasa-AKD debate for a debate between the members of the Economic Councils of the SJB and JVP/NPP. However, no definitive action was taken last week to prepare for the Premadasa-AKD debate.

SJB-NPP/JVP clash

Meanwhile, the clash between the SJB and JVP/NPP took a new turn during the Polonnaruwa District meeting of the SJB’s ‘Jana Pavura’ programme, with the announcement of several regional organisers from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the JVP meeting with Premadasa and joining the SJB.

Former MP and former Minister Nandasena Herath had joined the SJB along with former SLFP MP Thilak Bandara Mahalekam and H. Samantha Bandara, the only former Councillor elected from the Bendiwewa division of the Polonnaruwa Municipal Council from the JVP.

Meanwhile, JVP/NPP Leader AKD immediately refuted claims that a JVP member had joined the SJB in Polonnaruwa, saying that the particular individual was not a JVP member but an SLFP member.

Speaking at a meeting in Mannar, AKD has said the particular individual, Hitihamilage Saman Kumara, is an SLFP candidate who had submitted nominations for the Local Government Elections to contest for the Bendiwewa division of the Polonnaruwa Municipal Council. “An SLFP member has become a JVP member for the SJB.”

New front, old faces

The ongoing election preparations have also resulted in the formation of a new nationalist group where the traditional ultra-nationalist group, basically the old faces from the MR camp, have formed a new alliance to carry out the old campaigns under a new slogan.

The only new face in the new nationalist alliance is businessman-turned-politician Dilith Jayaweera.

Several political parties and groups last Monday (27 May) signed an agreement in Colombo to launch a new political movement named the ‘Sarvajana Balaya’.

The National Freedom Front (NFF) led by MP Wimal Weerawansa, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) led by MP Udaya Gammanpila, the Mawbima Janatha Party (MJP) led by Jayaweera, the Democratic Left Front (DLF), the Communist Party (CP), the Independent MPs’ Forum, and several groups attended the event held to sign the agreement to launch the ‘Sarvajana Balaya’.

This alliance was formed following many rounds of discussions held at Jayaweera’s office at Darley Road, Colombo. One of the key focuses during these meetings was the need to form the alliance under a new and attractive name and a unique logo. It is learnt that after deciding on the name – ‘Sarvajana Balaya’ – the logo of a multicoloured fingerprint was chosen to depict uniqueness and consistency.

While the alliance was to initially be launched at a massive rally on 1 May, the formation of the alliance was delayed to the latter part of May due to negotiations with parties to join it.

According to Jayaweera, ‘Sarvajana Balaya’ is the alliance of all nationalist left forces.

Sarath resigns

However, an interesting turn of events was witnessed when former Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama resigned as the Chairman of the MJP the day after the launch of the new alliance.

Amunugama on Tuesday (28 May) handed in his resignation from the post. It is learnt that the letter had not cited details behind his decision to resign, but had only stated that he had decided to resign from the party while wishing Jayaweera all the very best in his endeavours.

Nevertheless, Amunugama, when later inquired by the media, had said that he had moved out since the party had joined with ultra-nationalist groups.

MS group’s new office

Meanwhile, the split in the SLFP that has resulted in a power battle between a group loyal to former Party Leader and former President Maithripala Sirisena and those loyal to former Party Leader and former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (CBK) – led by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva – with the creation of two Party Leaders, is now going to witness two offices that will serve as the SLFP Headquarters.

While the SLFP’s traditional Headquarters is located at Darley Road in Colombo, the pro-Sirisena faction of the SLFP is looking at opening a new office for the SLFP in Colombo to carry out what they claim as ‘political work of the party’. The reason for the setting up of another SLFP Head Office is due to the pro-CBK faction led by Acting Party Leader de Silva taking charge of the Darley Road Head Office.

The pro-Sirisena group that is led by Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe maintains that this new party office to be set up in Colombo will serve as the Headquarters of the SLFP and that the party’s future political work will be planned and carried out from there.

SLFP Senior Vice President Prof. Rohana Luxman Piyadasa has said that the SLFP Politburo was discussing the setting up of the new party office and arrangements are being made to identify and prepare a building in Colombo for the purpose as soon as possible.

However, the ongoing debacle within the SLFP has resulted in many party members and loyalists being disgruntled and looking at joining other political parties.

Meanwhile, the Colombo District Court last Wednesday (29 May) extended until 12 June the enjoining order issued preventing Sirisena from leading the SLFP.

Wijeyadasa barred

Also, an enjoining order that was issued against the pro-Sirisena faction-appointed Leader of the SLFP, Minister Rajapakshe, preventing him from functioning as the SLFP Acting Party Leader, was extended by the Colombo District Court last Monday (27 May).

However, Rajapakshe has said that there were no legal barriers for him to function as the SLFP Leader.

According to Rajapakshe’s side, the case is now void as Sirisena had resigned as the Party Leader with Rajapakshe being unanimously elected as the new SLFP Leader. It was clarified that the case was filed against him [Rajapakshe] functioning as the Acting Party Leader and that it was now void as he currently serves as the SLFP Leader.

However, the Colombo District Court has issued another enjoining order preventing Rajapakshe from also serving as the SLFP Leader following a petition filed by Duminda Dissanayake.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday (28 May), the Colombo District Court issued yet another enjoining order preventing Rajapakshe from serving as the SLFP Leader as well as barring him from holding membership of the SLFP.

Illegal meeting

Meanwhile, the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court, which issued an enjoining order preventing the pro-de Silva faction from scuttling the work of pro-Sirisena faction Party Leader Rajapakshe and its Acting General Secretary Keerthi Udawatta, last Friday (31 May) reversed the enjoining order.

The Magistrate had reversed the order issued on a motion filed by Rajapakshe while also recognising that the Executive Committee meeting of the SLFP that was held under the patronage of Sirisena and his loyalists was illegal.

The case is to be taken up again on 12 June.

Karu pushes 13A

While the political stage is in polls preparation mode, the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) has appealed to the Government and all political parties to earnestly consider the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Issuing a statement, former Speaker and NMSJ Chairman Karu Jayasuriya has underscored the need to address the contentious land issue through the proposed Land Commission without delay.

Jayasuriya has noted that the NMSJ, under the guidance of the late Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, has advocated for national unity and harmony. “However, we recognise that as a nation, we have so far failed to achieve this goal, which has in turn contributed to the challenges we face today,” he has stated.

“Reflecting on our history, we recall that our independence from the British Empire in 1948 was achieved through the collaborative efforts of leaders from all ethnicities including Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, and Burgher. Sadly, subsequent events, including divisive racial and religious trends, have eroded this unity. We are deeply concerned about the current situation and the impact it may have on future generations,” the NMSJ Chair states.

Jayasuriya therefore appeals to the Government and all political parties to earnestly consider implementing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and addressing the contentious land issue through the proposed Land Commission without delay.