UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake and Democratic Party (DP) Parliamentarian Jayantha Ketagoda joined the Govt, Karu’s decision pending
Posted on December 8th, 2014
Hot News
Addressing a gathering soon after handing over nominations for the presidential election at Rajagiriya, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said a short while ago that UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake had joined the government.
This Mahinda Rajapaksa can get another party’s General Secretary when our General Secretary leaves. Do not underestimate us,” he said.
President Mahinda Rajapaksae said his party doors were still open and people had begun to enter through them.
Meanwhile Tissa Attanayake today tendered his resignation from the post of United National Party (UNP) General Secretary, sources said –
Democratic Party (DP) Parliamentarian Jayantha Ketagoda has joined the government to support President Mahinda Rajapaksa, sources said.
Mr. Ketagoda became a member of the Parliament replacing DP Leader Sarath Fonseka.
The information reveals that the UNP parliamentarian Karu Jayasuriya will join the government.
It is said that this has been discussed with the government seniors and Karu Jayasuriya has not stated the final decision.
December 8th, 2014 at 1:43 am
This will be the beginning of end of UNP in this episode.
December 8th, 2014 at 2:50 am
Tissa Attanayaka is USELESS. He is a national list MP and a LOUSY spokesman.
He is after the health minister post. Nothing else.
UNP MP Chandrani Bandara has also crossed over. She won the highest preference votes for UNP from Anuradhapura. But now this beauty queen has NO appeal.
Karu J might also crossover, AGAIN.
December 8th, 2014 at 3:04 am
UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake had joined the government. He is after the health minister post – What happing in Mother Lanka?
Is any Indian political trainers working in SL now !
December 8th, 2014 at 4:15 am
It is a BIG deal if you are a UNP VOTER. Remember, this is ultimately about what VOTERS do, not what politician say or think. If UNP VOTERS think that it is OK for them to “cross-over” too by voting for MR, then UNP surely will lose votes based on these crossover politicians.
I think Tissa’s stature as the General Secretary of the UNP simply can’t be dismissed. It presents “a wash” scenario with TA cancelling out MS, and we are back to looking at what the rest of the voters are going to do.
It is still looking like a +4 percentage point gain for MR from 2010, but a lot hinges on how the Muslim vote will split nationwide. I am sure this is why UNP replaced TA with a Muslim, but he doesn’t have the ‘national’ following to affect the race.
December 8th, 2014 at 4:24 am
I wanted to add to my comments above, that Tissa could make a HUGE difference by explaining WHY he crossed over and making this public. I think MS’s lack of experience and proven leadership, greater interference and meddling from the US, UK, and Norway in Sri Lanka affairs with MS as president, the risk of terrorism reemerging under MS, the prospect of a Tamil state emerging under MS, and a substantial reduction in development dollars available for Sri Lanka (especially the multi-billion dollar level of investments we are currently getting from China) to further develop the economy would be VALID reasons that could sway voters.
December 8th, 2014 at 5:04 am
This time India has already lost.
December 8th, 2014 at 5:22 am
Its a shame TPissa Attanayaka is getting the HEALTH MINISTRY which is a BIG ministry.
MANY UPFA MPs would be disappointed.
It is unfair to give a UNP turncoat such an important ministry.
What if he is a TROJAN HORSE?
December 8th, 2014 at 5:35 am
There are a few thousand of us who are anxiously following these dramatic events; we are the English-speaking, so called elites, who imagine that we are intellectuals and important, but it’s not our votes that matter.
There are millions of citizens who are probably leading much more useful lives, and therefore have no time for all this skullduggery. They must be getting confused and angry at all these strange developments. Finally they, too, will turn cynical and act irrationally.
So, Tissa Attanayake has left the UNP and joined the government just days after saying that he had rejected huge bribes to do so. The two Muslim parties have had their bluff called. Apparently the two major candidates have rejected the stiff conditions that Hakeem and Bathiudeen had tried to impose. And now we have the highly educated, cultured, and hopefully principled Kabir Hashim taking over as UNP Secretary. I don’t know him personally, but from what I have gathered over a long period, he’s never been sectarian, and he is a perfect tri-lingual. This has to be the hope of the country, that we will have decent, sane and rational people.
We know that these Presidential Elections (if won by Maithripala) will be only a first step towards changing the political culture of our country. However, this campaign must start addressing the concerns of the entire country. I live in the hill country. Half the “estate Tamil” vote will go as the Thondamans decree; correcting that will take decades of improving social, living and educational conditions. However, what about the Northern Tamils? I have heard it said that “they voted for Fonseka, so they will vote for Maithri”. Not correct. Check turnout. Hundreds of thousands did not vote in 2010. Every vote in this country has the same value.
Talking of which, even a Second or Third Preference for one of the two main candidates will have the same value if nobody gets that 50%+1. I notice that there are Tamil and Muslim candidates (Christian as well?). To get everyone to the polling booth on the 8th Jan. you must tell some of these “Special Needs” voters that they can make their point by casting the THREE preferences imaginatively.
Taking an over-view: just how parochial have our concerns become!
December 8th, 2014 at 5:42 am
UnPatriotic Party (UnP) has been anti Sinhala, anti Buddhist, ant Sri Lankan.
They have divided the Sinhalese and made minorities rule the country.
13, 13A etc. etc their achievments! Expect more of the same if they get into power.
Sinhalese have forgotten how the Sinhalese youth burn in town centres, floated
in rivers etc. when they were in power! Shame on you whoever supporting these
murderous lot!
Any more patriots in that party? Any more Sinhalese in that party? Any more
Buddhists in that party? Now is the time to cross over and wipe those traitors out from the
map of Sri Lanka!
MR have relaised now corruption is endemic and will start reducing it.
December 8th, 2014 at 7:56 am
Jayantha Ketagoda has joined the government to support President Mahinda RajapaksaMr. Ketagoda became a member of the Parliament replacing DP Leader Sarath Fonseka.
this is another good news , hope SF did not have any his old weapon ???
December 8th, 2014 at 8:01 am
Sri Lanka is still in an unstable position with certain Western powers focussed on regime change and maybe even a long term project for a greater Christian dominated Tamilnadu, encompassing Southern India and Northern Sri Lanka, servile to western dictates. However, India is strong enough to protect its interests and this wont happen. Therefore in the medium term they may aim at getting a mono-ethnic Christian dominated autonomous Tamil administration within Sri Lanka but servile to western powers.
Therefore, the best thing that can happen to Sri Lanka is to continue with the nationalist Rajapakse administration, but rapidly take measures to improve its law and order situation and stamp out corruption as is happening in both India and China under their respective new leaders. Mr Sirisena wont be a strong leader and it would be a calamity if he wins, which fortunately is most unlikely.
December 8th, 2014 at 8:23 am
Sooriarchi,
But it is MUCH more than law and order and anti-corruption measures that are necessary to ward off the medium-term scenario you have posited, it will take MASSIVE (like 4m Buddhists) Buddhist integration in the North and East to roughly reflect the population demographics of Sri Lanka as a whole.
I think starting with Trincomalee, as this already has a token Buddhist presence and a large naval base that can help secure the integration. It is also relatively close to the Northern Province, making the second integration project on the East Coast of the Jaffna peninsula easier to manage. There probably should be a third integration project near Pottivil, which is also easier to manage based on its isolation and proximity to Yala and other Buddhist communities.
All of these integration projects should be on the scale of the Curitiba, Brazil mass redevelopment project which took a 300,000 population and turned it into a 1.5m population in 10 years at a relatively low cost.
December 8th, 2014 at 8:58 am
TA has to give a clear and valid reason why he made this decision. Few month ago he was a staunch critic of MR. How can some one flip like this so quickly? My hunch is he received a humongous personal benefit package for doing so. It is time we change the constitution that party resignation/cross over should be preceded by forfeiting elected posts.
December 8th, 2014 at 9:22 am
IS THIS HOT NEWS ??????
TWENTY SENIOR UNP MEMBERS TO CROSS OVER TO THE GOVERNMENT TO JOIN MR, IS IMMINENT.
THEY ARE WAITING FOR THE “”READY”” “”STEADY”” “”GOOOOOOOO”
REASON:- THEY DO NOT WANT TO JOIN THE TRAITORS, “THE THREE CLOWNS” WHO HAVE VIRTUALLY SOLD HALF OF THE COUNTRY TO, THE TERRORISTS MANDATED TNA, ON A PRIVATE DEAL. THIS IS REAL.
OF THE TWENTY, ONE DOES NOT KNOW THAT THE OTHER IS CROSSING OVER. ONLY ONE UNP STALWART OF THE TWENTY KNOWS ALL OF THEM.
December 8th, 2014 at 9:26 am
SORRY, JUST ONE MORE THING.
WHEN ONE CROSSES OVER, THE OTHERS WILL FOLLOW LIKE MOUNTAIN GOATS AFTER THEIR LEADER.
December 8th, 2014 at 11:07 am
After this election, any cross overs should follow with losing the elected seat.
December 8th, 2014 at 11:48 am
“AIYO SIRISENA” MODA HARAKA!!!
Kissidu GUNAYAKNETHI, SLFP AANDUWENG WASI LABAGENA,SAHODARAYATA PARAKRAMA SAMUDRAYE WATHURA LEVEL EKA METER 1/2 KING ADU KARALA,AKKARA 18000 KATA WAGA KARANTA BERI VENA VIDHIHATA “THOO KEWA YAKO RATA”!!!
Thota HENA HATHAKKMA GAHANAVA,SATHTHAKAI!!!
December 8th, 2014 at 12:38 pm
Agree with Eusense.
Tissa didn’t crossover for PRINCIPLES! He crossed over to get the health ministry!!! A VERY LUCRATIVE ministry.
MR did a suicidal thing by giving the health ministry to a useless UNP crossover (a national list MP with NO votes) when there are many LOYAL SLFPers waiting for it.
Now Tissa will appoint UNPers into top positions in health and ruin it.
BTW the CHIEF MINISTER of WPC Hirunika has crossed over to My3 camp. She is clean. Lets not bash her just because she disagrees with us.
At least now the govt. should do JUSTICE to her father’s killers. The whole WORLD KNOWS who killed her father! He is STILL free like MALAKA SILVA.
Essentially WPC has fallen to the Opposition.
Uva, EPC, NCPC are hanging in the balance.
December 8th, 2014 at 12:39 pm
SW,
Do you think they will crossover for principles?
NO. For a ministry.
December 8th, 2014 at 1:25 pm
OK, guys … Here is a Quiz for all you pundits:
Q: Some politicos have “Crossed Over” so many times, how do they keep track of which side they are on?
A: By looking at who paid the Bribe Money on the Bank Check!
December 8th, 2014 at 1:31 pm
LORENZO !! NO, Not even for a Ministry. ANY TABLE CRAP THAT WOULD FALL INTO THEIR LAP, WOULD DO.
Hirunika felt that her Fathers killer was not duly punished by REAL LAW. The Law that we have now is Vesa thalami, Dushta Valami, Kangaroo Valami, Kala Valami, Cut Throat Valami, Panina valami, Foxy valami, FoxyHen valami, you name it, is prevalent.
Hirunika has a heart. That was jilted by Logu Aamu. She is like one of my daughters. Everybody has to accept her decision. She leaves with no animosity. She will be respected and accepted with open arms by anyone. A lovable character.
December 8th, 2014 at 1:44 pm
ANANDA !!! I KNOW ONE POLITICO WHO CROSSED FROM UNP TO SLFP. HE IS IN THE SLFP STILL MINING. He is JHONNY come home, who threw 20,000 COCONUTS to the SEA. NOT ONE GOT WASHED ASHORE. SO, lets put two and two together. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE COCONUTS ? Nobody ever talked about it. Logu Aamu knows everthing like the jugglery on Parakrama Samudra. 20,000 Coconuts is not an easy thing to be un-accountable for.
It is the ship load of COCONUTS that is indelible in my mind.
December 8th, 2014 at 1:51 pm
The Low Down on Crossover Stampedes!
The first move of dark horses wanting to run for the US Presidency is to “Announce their NON-CANDIDACY for the post of President” about two years ahead, and to make a statement of “Principles” they stand for at the same time to attract “bidders” for their candidacy.
Then they give a few TV and Press interviews to “explain their position” and wait to see if a following calling for him to run develops. “Run Tom Run, Go Tom Go!” they cry, and various money offers are made and accepted from lobbyists who have a burning agenda to push… and LO and BEHOLD he has become a “popular candidate” for President.
Crossover Candidates in Sri Lanka in this Presidential Election NOW seem to follow this very same strategy.
MPs with a burning hunger for money and prestige, that no one would have otherwise identified as a ship-jumper, first announce “I am not Crossing Over for ANY price, although I have certain issues I am not happy about!”, making heads turn and attracting attention. They then give a few Press Interviews to explain their position. Now, offers of money and more important party/government positions roll in to keep/or attract the reprobate.
But GREED and FEAR of later PUNISHMENT also plays a part, so he looks at who else will join him in crossing over. The greater the number of crossovers he can “carry” with him the more valuable he becomes and the more money and/or higher position he will get. So there are bribes from not only the two party leaderships, NGOs and Foreign Meddlers, but also money transfers between the crossovers themselves to increase the size of the crossover herd.
And then, all of a sudden, somebody panics they will be discovered and the herd stampedes across the Rubicon. There is a drumming of hooves, shoving and jostling, jumping and/or falling into the river, swimming and struggling in the river to avoid the crocodiles, and then with much huffing and puffing, they reach the relative safety of the opposing bank, only to find a RAVENOUS Lion loping towards them in the distance. Now what will they do? Aiyo!
Crocs behind them, Lions ahead, but suddenenly they remember what the hell there are COINS jingling in their pockets .. they will DIE RICH!
December 8th, 2014 at 2:01 pm
Hot News
20000 Coconuts are being converted to Jet Fuel to pump into Singapore Airlines 777 to LA via Singapore !
December 8th, 2014 at 2:22 pm
ANANDA !! Just one more thing I did not mention:- SPEAKER CHAMAL RAJAPAKSE FROM HIS CHAIR, COMMENTED THAT THE 20,000 COCONUTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO THE SAMURDHI PEOPLE TO BE GIVEN FREE TO THE POOR. I WATCHED THIS COMMENT ON TV SINHALESE NEWS. THAT IS WHY IT IS INDELIBLE.
December 8th, 2014 at 2:43 pm
ANANDA !! Iam trying to be emphatic. This Coconut fiasco was in May or June 2012. If you Google 20,000 Coconuts thrown into the Sea by Jhonston Fernando, , all what I have said here is there.
December 8th, 2014 at 3:34 pm
Lorenzo,
You said “CHIEF MINISTER of WPC Hirunika has crossed over to My3 camp. She is clean. Lets not bash her just because she disagrees with us.”
Why “us”?
I don’t expect to see you bashing her at all … she is crossing over to your side.
I do expect to see you praising her to high heaven … as you have already have … anointing her with “she is clean”.
Very subtle, Lorenzo; but NOT subtle ENOUGH!
December 8th, 2014 at 3:41 pm
Briefly, I gather from the Letter of Resignation of Tissa Attanayake from the UNP, that he resigned because:
1. The Malik-Ravi-Mangala group gutted his position, and his ability to function, as UNP General Secretary,
2. The Common Candidate is not a UNP Party leader committed to UNP’s political agenda and acceptable to rank-and-file party members,
3. The 3 Conditions in the Agreement to back Maithripala Sirisena as the Common Candidate negotiated by the Malik-Ravi-Mangala group, to wit
3.1 Upon Maithripala Sirisena being elected as Executive President, he would within 24 hours appoint Ranil Wickramasinghe as the Prime Minister and transfer the Executive Powers of the Presidency to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet of Ministers.
3.2 Maithripala Sirisena would be accepted and named as the Common Candidate upon bringing with him 20-25 UPFA members, defecting the Common Opposition.
3.3 Maithripala Sirisena would revise the Constitution completely, and abolish the Executve Presidency within 100 days.
have already been violated in that Maithripala Sirisena did not bring 20-25 defectors, and, therefore, should not have been named the Common Candidate.
4. After winning the Executive Presidency, Maitripala Sirisena and the JHU ship-jumpers INTEND to create a new political party of THEIR OWN, outside the UNP, viloating UNP expectations and creating another split within the Common Opposition, and not giving the UNP the benefit of the defectors from the SLFP!
This letter CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES to me THREE THINGS:
1. The EXTENT of the MONUMENTAL TREACHERY committed by the Maithripala Sirisena in agreeing in SECRET to GUT the Constitution of the Nation and hand over the nation to its AVOWED enemies that he had fought against as an SLFP party member for 47-years!
Does this STUPID Common Candidate DESERVE our TRUST?
2. The EXTENT of the INTERNECINE FACTIONAL INFIGHTING, CORROSIVE ROT & DECAY within the UNP itself. This does not begin to touch the issue of MINORITY INTERESTS with the UNP that TIME & AGAIN PREVENTS the UNP from adequately PROTECTING & DEFENDING the Nation.
Does this FRACTURED United National Party DESERVE our TRUST?
3. The Common Opposition is “Common” in name only, its FRACTURING into MORE opposing camps within itself, is ALREADY UNDERWAY!
What an UNHOLY Alliance and Three-Ring-Circus of Untrustworthy Bunglers!
December 8th, 2014 at 3:57 pm
SW and Ananda,
TA crossed over for the HEALTH MINISTRY.
Just before Hirunika crossed over (her periodic cycle?), Lisa-B visited her told her that if she crosses over her father’s killer will DEFINITELY get away scot free. To that she had replied, you have already released him just like KP, KA, Punchinilame (killer of SLFP young MP Nalanda Ellawala), Malaka, Mervin, Julampitiye Amaraya, Tangalle PS chairman, Range Bandara, Lindsey Lohan Rat-watte, Ramith Rabutanwalla, etc.!!
I’m appauled how our ministers are using lawlessness to their political advantage.