Common candidate Maithripala Sirisena- a catspaw !
Posted on November 22nd, 2014

P.A.Samaraweera, Melbourne

After months of labouring, the opposition has named a candidate for the Presidential election to be held on 8th Jan 2015 – Health Minister and SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena.   At a meeting held at the Town Hall yesterday he had said that, ´The executive Presidency would be abolished within 100 days of his election as President and had promised that the UNP leader Ranil would be appointed as Prime Minister´.The same promise was made by Sarath Fonseka at the 2010 election.  During  previous elections as well prospective candidates made promises to abolish the executive Presidency but those promises  never materialised. With all the drawbacks of executive Presidency, it is a fact that the war was won because of an executive President. It could be argued that if we had the Westminister system of govt during the war, western countries backing the LTTE would have easily bought over some of our Cabinet Ministers and toppled the govt  sabotaging the war.

According to media reports, the support for Maithripala S seems to come mainly from the UNP. There is no mention of other parties such as the JVP, TNA etc. In the photos that appeared in papers Sarath Fonseka´s absence was prominent. After the last Presidential election, the UNP made an uproar that a candidate had not been nominated from the party. This time, Sajith Premadasa was threatening to come forward from the UNP if Ranil withdraws. But with the current set up it appears that Sajith is happy to eat the humble pie. The UNP had surrendered the party symbol in favour of a total stranger to the party.

During the 2010 elections, ambitious Sarath Fonseka was made a catspaw and he put his neck on the guillotine. This time it is Maithripala Sirisena´s turn. After the elections, all those who supported Sarath dropped him like a hot brick and now he has more or less gone to obscurity.  Ranil W this time as well tactfully pulled out as he knows that winning the elections by an opposition candidate is remote. Thus he made his position as Leader of the party safe.

Maithripala Sirisena in his address to the media had said , ´The govt has ruined the country and the country  is engulfed in corruption and abuse of power. The political systems of this country have been taken over by one family… I was heartbroken and totally disappointed the way the President treated me…´ If so one may ask why he stayed in the govt enjoying all the perks, privileges and power as a Minister all these years without joining the opposition. A couple of days ago he had organised President Rajapaksa´s birthday party at Temple Trees. By any chance, if he did not get the nominations there is no doubt that he would hang around the President as a faithful Minister !

9 Responses to “Common candidate Maithripala Sirisena- a catspaw !”

  1. Lorenzo Says:

    MR is facing a HUGE challenge from MS’s defection. MS has men INSIDE MR’s UPFA and govt. offices. They will undermine MR but IMPOSSIBLE to trace them.

    1. MS was the SLFP GS for 15+ years and MOST SLFP organizers, etc. are LOYAL to him. It is IMPOSSIBLE to identify who is loyal to MS and who is NOT. Those loyal to MS will DISRUPT the govt. and make it UNPOPULAR with the people.

    There is NO TIME to RESTRUCTURE the SLFP before the PE.

    2. The BIGGEST threat comes from MPs who have NOT crossed over. NO ONE knows who is secretly supporting MS. They will work to defeat MR secretly and through omission.

    3. Public service has been VERY BADLY POLITICIZED. MANY THOUSANDS of MS’s supporters are in influential positions in the govt. They will DISRUPT govt. plans, particularly popular plans. There is NO WAY to sack them or replace them in such a short time.

    The UNKNOWN enemy within is WORSE than the known enemy outside.

    To overcome this problem, MR will rely VERY HEAVILY on NON-SLFP MPs like Weerawansa. IF Weerawansa goes out of action for some reason, that will be a MASSIVE BLOW to MR. I’m sure UNP, etc. planners are looking at this.

  2. Independent Says:

    Lorenzo,
    Very good analysis.

    Actually, the President should run and worship Ven Ratana Thero quickly and ask him to comeback. If JHU with Patali join back, he will still be very strong. BBS will also join. He stupidly and arrogantly chase away JHU.

  3. Independent Says:

    “´The govt has ruined the country and the country is engulfed in corruption and abuse of power. The political systems of this country have been taken over by one family… I was heartbroken and totally disappointed the way the President treated me…´ ”

    I believe he is not pretending. He has been ill treated same as Patali and Ratana Thero. President has been too arrogant lately.

  4. Lorenzo Says:

    But MR is AWARE of this.

    1. Already Namal’s NIL BALAKAYA has taken over the SLFP youth wing.

    2. 4 OICs transferred EVEN AFTER ANNOUNCEMENT of the PE. This is ILLEGAL. But it happens.
    Pro-MS personnel in SLBC, SLRC and Lake House will be looked into on Monday.

    3. As I said before, SB will be made PM and through SB, govt. plans to restructure the SLFP QUICKLY.

    4. MS’s brother may be arrested soon on various allegations. Corruption charges against MS are also on the way.

  5. Christie Says:

    My Indian Myna in Melbourne says JHU bosses were in Melbourne recently and were indirectly critical of the government that they are a party. The international fund raiser and the international organizer were also in tow. God father of Indian terrorist arm branded Tamil Tigers lives in Australia.

  6. Nalliah Thayabharan Says:

    Please read this
    http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2014/10/19/watering-corruption/

  7. Susantha Wijesinghe Says:

    THE SECOND LOT EXODUS FROM THE GOVERNMENT SIDE IS VERY NEAR. THERE WILL BE MORE CROSSING OVER. THEY WERE MONITORING THE TEMPERATURE ALL THIS TIME.

    WHOEVER IN THE LANKA WEB EVER THOUGHT THAT THERE WOULD BE A POLITICAL COUP. ? NOT ONE.

    MS SAYS HE WILL GIVE COMPLETE INDEPENDENCE TO THE POLICE, DID HE DO THAT WHEN HIS SON ASSAULTED THE DIGs SON ? LIAR LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE.

  8. SenaD Says:

    I believe there will be defections in the other directions too because MR is not going to be idling during the next 6 weeks.

    A long standing SLFPer asking the SLFP voters to elect RW through this scheme might be heeded only by the people who have allegiance to him for personal reasons; even some of them might not heed his call.

    In the end most probably winners will be RW and MR, just like the last time.

    RW appears to be happy as long as he could stay as the leader of the opposition.

  9. S.A Says:

    What a shame! Rathna thera is campaigning with all well known separatists including TNA to make Ranil PM and to lead the country. Is he a another re-born KUDAPOLA Hamuduruwo (as claimed by MS) or a re-born SOMARAMA who assassinated S.W.R.D.

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