“SAJITH FOR PRESIDENT” – PLAN “B” by PREMADASA LOYALISTS
Posted on November 28th, 2014
By M D P DISSANAYAKE
Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe’s (RW) decision to recruit Mr Maithipala Sirisena as the Common Candidate has angered a vast majority of UNP die-hard supporters, particularly the loyalists of Mr Sajith Premadasa (SP). According to well informed sources, the UNP supporters in the SP camp are at logger-heads with RW for the massive let down of their leader (SP) for bringing humiliation to Sajith in public.
On 7 September, 2014 at a public meeting of the UNP, the newly appointed Deputy Leader of the UNP Mr Sajith Premadasa made the following statements:
“My dear Friends, On a particular day in the 1970’s, I remember an invitation made by Mr J R Jayawardene to Mr Ranasinghe Premadasa. He said: Premadasa come and join with me to defeat the Sri Lanka Freedom Party government. My dear Friends in the Badulla District, Mr Ranasighe Premadasa accepted the invitation of Mr J R Jayawardene. Not only Mr Ranasinghe Premadasa accepted the invitation, he went right around the country campaining and brought victory for the UNP. Similarly today I have accepted the invitation of Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe from the bottom of my heart. Today Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe has very clearly confirmed that he will come forward to contest the forthcoming Presidential Election. ( looking at speech notes, and continuing SP’s address after a pause).”
” My dear Friends, I would like to make the following statement now. With Mr J R Jayawardene, how did Mr Ranasinghe Premadasa worked for the victory of Mr Jayawardene and the UNP. I promise you today that I will work with commitment exactly the same way and as hard as I can to send Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe to where he richly deserved to go”.
To view and listen the original Sinhala speech of Ada Derana Video, please click:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y7jo5WmzME
SP’s entire speech was well crafted and unlike on other occasions, he confined himself to the key elements and core issues of the speech. SP’s supporters are angry with RW for his despicable decision. They argue, RW not only blocked any moves by SP for contesting the Presidential Election, RW himself backed down from the earlier promise to SP, the Party and the Public.
The political analysts and strategists in the SP camp argue that:
- RW’s action had severely humiliated SP;
- Appointment of SP as Deputy Leader was a window dressing or a cheap ploy by RW to get SP’s voters back into the UNP. If Maithripala Sirisena was chosen as the Common Candidate before making SP the Deputy Leader of the UNP, SP would have defected instantly and contested the Presidential Election;
- With the nomination date a week away, plans of SP’s camp are well advanced, with quite a few a options up in sleeves. As we understand SP is energised by the over whelming support reaching Colombo. SP’s human and financial resources are quite competitive;
- SP’s key stakeholders are more keen in eliminating RW from the political map, at the same time sidelining Ravi Karunanayake, Karu Jayasuriya, Ruwan Wijewardene etc so that SP will have sufficient time to rebuild the UNP well into the future, exactly the same way his father did.
November 28th, 2014 at 6:17 am
Sajith should join Mahinda and unite the Sinhalese so Indians cannot run the country.
November 28th, 2014 at 6:44 am
Looks like whole plan got backfired due to lack of constitution expert.
As Gomin Dayasri pointed out “ to defang Maithri himself of the powers of an executive president, the constitution requires a 2/3 majority….. Only a gullible politician will believe another of his tribe as they outsmart each other to gain extra ground.”
Now they have gone back to the drawing board again and says ”
-joint Opposition would retain the executive presidency without EP,
-new government would be formed in accordance with the existing Constitution,
-the current parliament could continue till April next year to make it eligible for MPs to get their pensions,
-UNP National Leader Wickremesinghe would receive the premiership,
-constitutional amendments to be achieved within 65 days unless the Supreme Court determined that constitutional changes should be subjected to a referendum
– the power sharing arrangement should continue for at least two years.
Don’t trust politicians of any kind, having suffered long in believing in their promises. Only a gullible politician will believe another of his tribe as they outsmart each other to gain extra ground. –Gomin Dayasri
November 28th, 2014 at 7:24 am
The last thing the opposition wants to do is DIVIDE the opposition vote, so they are stuck with MS unless he withdraws.
I agree with Christie that SP should unite with MR and end this division of the Sinhala Buddhist vote once and for all.
A united Buddhist vote totally beats back any challenge by outsiders, and the US, UK, and Norway are a much bigger threat in terms of internal meddling in Sri Lanka politics (through their surrogates and people they have bought) and distracting the government and the country with the UNHRC allegations than India.
November 28th, 2014 at 9:28 am
I do not agree with all that is going on in the country,especially the corruption. But I, to agree with Christie that Sajith, if he is half as capable and loyal to the country and its true people will join with MR and fight corruption. I believe ,that in addition to this union being good for the country will be good for SP’ s future.
November 28th, 2014 at 9:37 am
I meant to write” as half capable as his father was”
November 28th, 2014 at 1:59 pm
MR should CREATE a powerful need for Sajith, etc. to join in.
They CANNOT fight CORRUPTION by joining together. Both will become more corrupt as we saw when 10 UNPers joined the govt.
MR should propose to SCRAP 13 amendment WHEN he has ALL (except NPC) under his UPFA.
November 28th, 2014 at 2:08 pm
Lorenzo,
There is a beautiful photo in Lankapage right now, under the heading “Sri Lankan President in a chat with opposition politicians ” President, Champika, Sajith, gmmanpila and Gotabhaya having a friendly chat. Hope something will result.
November 28th, 2014 at 2:10 pm
Maithree will protect war heroes.
“I want to say very clearly that I will not allow the pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora or the international forces to try President Mahinda Rajapaksa, or any of his family members, or the security forces, who fought against the LTTE terrorism in this country and made sacrifices, before an international war crime tribunal.”
He further said that Sri Lanka is not a signatory to any international war crime tribunal and therefore hauling anyone before the International Criminal Court (ICC) cannot be done.”
– colombopage
November 28th, 2014 at 2:11 pm
Independent,
That confirms what I said yesterday.
GR STILL has a very close relationship with Gammanpilla and Patali.
MR must change. Not the other way round.
November 28th, 2014 at 3:48 pm
Sajith, you should support MR and you will go somewehre with him. Otherwise no future for you,
November 28th, 2014 at 3:50 pm
Lorenzo,
“Maithree will protect war heroes.”
Who will TRUST this ship-jumper who has already betrayed his party and his leader of 47-years, from whom he benefited mightily, to now protect the War-Heroes that FOUGHT THE BATTLES, and the Rajapaksa Family that LED THE WAR EFFORT to a victorious conclusion? Who?
He has GOT TO BE KIDDING!
Maithree, lacking maithree dishonored himself hiding in the grass like a snake, to spring his trap on MR until the very last moment.
ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY they say! MR WILL NOT, and SHOULD NOT, TRUST this man EVER AGAIN!
November 28th, 2014 at 5:56 pm
Long ago, when the govt played the Chicken -little game saying that UN, USA are coming to take them to Hague, Ranil said that Sri Lanka was not a signatory to that particular agreement because of that they can not touch any politician or a soldier in Sri Lanka.
November 28th, 2014 at 7:05 pm
Yes, Sajith should join Mahinda for the best interest of the country. Sajith has great potential and he could only make use it under Mahinda rather than Ranil.
November 28th, 2014 at 7:35 pm
Ananda,
It is not RW it is MS who will be the EP.
And he is a PATRIOT (not the type who gives refuge to LTTE leaders like KP).
Just because we need to protect politicians, there is no need to keep the SAME govt. forever especially when the current govt. has forgotten the Sinhalese.
NO ONE, I say NO ONE will escape the wrath of the people if they betray war heroes. So have no fear. NO war hero will be harassed in any way. But this guarantee does NOT extend to INTERPOL WANTED terrorists.
November 28th, 2014 at 7:37 pm
“Sajith has great potential and he could only make use it under Mahinda rather than Ranil.”
NO. Sajith has NO potential if he joins MR because MR will rule until 2026, then Basil until 2032. Then Namal until 2050 and by then Sajith would be no more.
Sajith is UNP DEPUTY LEADER now and he is just after RW. WHEN RW goes, Sajith will be the LEADER.
Karu J realized this the HARD WAY. Once he saw the LONG QUEUE he went back.
November 28th, 2014 at 8:12 pm
Lorenzo,
1. Even if MS hangs on as EP, he is a treacherous ship-jumper; should we TRUST MS again?
2. If MS eliminates the EP and lets RW become Executive PM; should we TRUST Ranil, ever?
Hah! The answer to BOTH questions is a CATEGORICAL NO!
The People of Sri Lanka don’t TRUST them either, which will become EVIDENT on January 8, 2015!
Fortunately, all of this is USELESS ELECTION POSTURING by HOPELESS PEOPLE that is OF NO CONSEQUENCE, because the President Mahinda Rajapaksa WILL WIN by a LANDSLIDE!
Do you remember the LAST TIME I predicted this at DW, and I was right and you were DEAD wrong?
Well, you will be WRONG AGAIN, my friend!
November 28th, 2014 at 9:24 pm
Lorenzo – the problem is Ranil keeps hanging on, and may well hang on to the leadership as long as he is alive, which could be until 2040.
MR’s third term finishes in 2022 (not 2026 as you indicated), and at that point it does not automatically go to Basil – Basil has to earn it just like SP.
November 29th, 2014 at 12:55 am
Ananda,
1. How about SWRDB, CBK? They too were ship jumpers. But people OVERWHELMINGLY voted for them! So that is NO ISSUE for the people.
2. Ranil will be PM for a very short time. The current parliament ends by 2016. Then PEOPLE will elect a parliament and the leader of the highest voting party will produce the PM.
There is no “executive” PM. PM is part of the legislature. The executive is different to any parliamentarian.
I’m not going to do the job of an astrologer. Let the people decide. If you look at the momentum, MS is going to win a landslide.
November 29th, 2014 at 12:59 am
Vimutti,
That is assuming MR will stop at 3 terms. He may go for 4 terms.
But SP will NOT be given NOMINATIONS from the MR-SP party! Basil will get the nominations. So SP will be just wasting his career. Karu J realized it.
Soon SB, Dinesh, Wimal, etc. will also realize this.
BTW Malaka Silva has been released on bail. This is unbelievable. How can he escape jail all the time. He is a danger and should be in remand custody. Mervin threatened to leave UPFA if his son was not released. VERY BAD for the govt. The victim is determined to go the distance to frame him.