Early results shows a landslide victory for Mahinda Rajapakse’s party (SLPP)
Posted on February 10th, 2018

Sri Lanka News

Based on early results a landslide victory for Mahinda Rajapakse’s party is expected. Following a successful campaign SLPP Sri Lanka podujana peramuna has convinced the voters that the present government is corrupted to the core and unsuccessful in every field.Based on the election results released so far, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is heading towards a victory at the Local Government election garnering 45 per cent of the majority votes.

126 Responses to “Early results shows a landslide victory for Mahinda Rajapakse’s party (SLPP)”

  1. Ananda-USA Says:

    At 8.00pm Sri Lanka time, a VERY HIGH TURNOUT, in excess of 80% of registered voters, has been recorded in Local Govt Elections on Feb 10, 2018.

    Have Sri Lankan PATRIOTS done their YUTHUKAMA to PROTECT their beloved Motherland?

    I THINK SO …. stay tuned …. ALL RESULTS are expected to be released by MIDNIGHT today!

    JAYAWEWA!

  2. NeelaMahaYoda Says:

    Ananda-USA

    Please keep on posting what’s happening in Sri Lanka.

  3. Ananda-USA Says:

    🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

  4. Charles Says:

    Ananda and NeelaMaha yodaya The four Guardian Gods are awake and following the disastrous trend the Yahapalanaya rogues were taking, the guarding gods will change the trend.

    Sri Lanka sanctified by the touch of the feet of our Compassionate Buddha, the cradle of Theravada Buddhism will be saved from its enemies. An undivided Sri Lanka with union of Communities will emerge from the disastrpus three years passed under the rule of the demons led by Ranil and Sirisena Chandrika Mangala, Rajitha and the rest of the UNP, JHU, JVP TNA and SLMC.

    Ape Lanka Mathavata Theruvan Saranay -අපේ ආදර ලක් මෑනියන්ට තෙරුවන් සරණයි.

  5. Charles Says:

    News first and Derana said they will be announsing election proceedings through out the day but now they are showing films in their channels. Very deceptive

  6. ranjit Says:

    As predicted people has spoken. Mahinda and pohottuwa is the answer to all problems created by this evil trio Sira Ranil Chandrika to our country. JAYAWEWA pohottuwa. Respect the people’s voice and leave for god’s sake yamaballo. Your time is over. People are not fools to believe you anymore. Lies and bogus promises are enough. Get lost.

  7. Ananda-USA Says:

    Charles,

    Derana TV has started the Election Coverage. But, still limited to Election Participation percentages; not results!

  8. Ananda-USA Says:

    Pipi pipi renu natana pohottuwak pippila

    Waren waren hulan podak apey angeth gavila

    Dena deviyo apithah ada dawasey denawa

    Apitath ada dawasey handa payanawa

    Ada dina apith mal paniyen nanawa!

  9. Charles Says:

    Thanks Ananda Did you see News first. I do not like that Journalist called Suranga he is biased and out of place . He can make big nose to show off. They make a debate out of the event to condemn Pohottuwa

  10. Ananda-USA Says:

    Punsanda hinahenney, wana mal pipidenney, lassana apey maubimey, deshapremin rajawenney ……

  11. Ananda-USA Says:

    Polonnaruwa My3 defeated !!

  12. Fran Diaz Says:

    Jayawewa to all PATRIOTIC FORCES OF SRI LANKA !
    May the PATRIOTIC Pohotuwa leaders lead the way !
    Lanka Hearts are Happier and Lighter today ….
    May it be so, ALWAYS !

  13. Charles Says:

    Fran we can at least smile today that the people have finally awakened tocreality.

    Jayawewa

  14. Ananda-USA Says:

    Ambalangoda, Balapitya, Hikkaduwa, Weligama pohottuwa.

  15. NeelaMahaYoda Says:

    A nice comment from Lankacnews

    ගමයා says:
    February 10, 2018 at 8:00 pm

    එන්න මල්ලි එන්න නංගි සෙට්වෙලා
    පොට්ටුවට ජන්දේ දීපු හිනැහිලා
    එළිවෙනකොට කොළඹ ගිහින්
    යන්න කියමු හොර රනිල්ට පිටවෙලා

  16. Ananda-USA Says:

    Mahinda Deshapriya, Elections Commissioner, said on Derana TV that the PUNDITS predicted a voter turnout of less than 60%, have been proven WRONG by an actual voter turnout that has far exceeded that prediction reaching 80% in many places.

    Likewise, some PUNDITS predicted a modest victory for the Pohottuwa, based on prior election statistics, while other NON-PUNDITS like me predicted a LANDSLIDE based on sentiment at the grassroots level.

    This election is likely to be a REVOLUTION, not a mere ELECTION.

  17. charithsls Says:

    Jayawewa by the blessings of the NTG! Nothing less than a landslide victory to SLPP should be there.
    One reason why this delay is due to is Government loss, MS SLFP loss,I think.

  18. Ananda-USA Says:

    SLPP – 653 UNP – 264 PA – 82 මිනුවන්ගොඩ පෙතියාගොඩ කොඨාසය පො.ජ.පෙ 1300 එ.ජා.ප 675 එ.ජ.නි.ස 300 ජ.වි.පෙ 17 මාතර – පොල්හේන

  19. Ananda-USA Says:

    නුගෙගොඩ නැගෙනහිර මධ්යස්ථානය මුලු චන්ද: 2700 භාවිතා වූ: 1910 1. පොහොට්ටුව: 850 2.එජාප: 677 3.ජ.වි.පෙ: 230 4. ශ්රී.ල.නි.පෙ: 131

  20. Ananda-USA Says:

    මාගල්කන්ද බේරුවල සභාව පොහොට්ටුව 1269 අලියා 442 සිනුව 263 බුලත් කොළය 212 මොනරා 3 රාජලියා 18+15 අහස්යානය 2

  21. Ananda-USA Says:

    අම්බලන්තොට දකුණ ශ්රී ලංකා පොදු ජන පෙරමුණ 329 එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂය 216 ජනතා විමුක්ති පෙරමුණ 135 එක්සත් ජනතා නිදහස් සන්ධානය 59

  22. Ananda-USA Says:

    මැතිවරණ ප්‍රතිඵල ලබාදීම ප්‍රමාදවීමට හේතුව නැවත ගණනය සිදුවීමක් බවට වාර්තා වෙයි. ඇතැම් ප්‍රාදේශීය සභා, නගර සභා හා මහ නගර සභා සඳහා එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂය ප්‍රධාන ලෙසම ඡන්දය නැවත ගණනය ඉල්ලා ඇති බව වාර්තාවෙයි

  23. NeelaMahaYoda Says:

    Ananda USA

    Mahinda Deshapriya, Elections Commissioner is a JVP guy. He is a strong Anti-Mahinda person. I hope he will not try any sort of jill-band to erase this progress.

    It is time for Ranil and Appa Sira to make their own “JUMPERS” to be ready in 24 months time to go to ULU Gedera in Welikada.

    All others should find a copy of Batalanda Commission report to reactivate the proceedings.

  24. Ananda-USA Says:

    According to NewsFirst.lk Pohottuwa SWEPT all LG elections in Puttalam

  25. SenaD Says:

    NMY, re.”I hope he will not try any sort of jill-band to erase this progress.”

    I believe that will be near impossible because of the way the counting has been done this time.

  26. Ananda-USA Says:

    According to Derana TV, ITAK wins in Mullaitivu.

  27. Charles Says:

    Thank you Ananda You are the only source of election results still available .

  28. Ananda-USA Says:

    පොහොට්ටුව වෙනුවට ආ මෝටර් බයිසිකලය මහගරගම සියළු ආසන දිනාගනී..

    පළාත් පාලන මැතිවරණය සදහා ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා පොදුජන පෙරමුණ විසින් මහරගම නගර සභාව සදහා ඉදිරිපත් කරන ලද නාම යෝජනා ලයිස්තුව ප‍්‍රතික්‍ෂෙප වීමෙන් පසු එම

  29. Ananda-USA Says:

    පොහොට්ටුව වෙනුවට ආ මෝටර් බයිසිකලය මහගරගම සියළු ආසන දිනාගනී..
    February 11, 2018 at 12:13 am | lanka C news

    පළාත් පාලන මැතිවරණය සදහා ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා පොදුජන පෙරමුණ විසින් මහරගම නගර සභාව සදහා ඉදිරිපත් කරන ලද නාම යෝජනා ලයිස්තුව ප‍්‍රතික්‍ෂෙප වීමෙන් පසු එම පෙරමුණ විසින් සහාය දක්වන ලද මෝටර් බයිසිකලය ලකුණ දරන ස්වාධීන කණ්ඩායම ආසනයේ සියළුම කොට්ඨාහ ජයග‍්‍රහණය කර තිබේ.

    එජාප ඇමති චම්පික රණවක බස්නාහිර මහ ඇමති ඉසුර දේවප‍්‍රිය විසින් මෙම ආසනයේ බලය තහවුරු කර ගැනීම සදහා මහත් උත්සායක් දරණු ලැබීය.

  30. NeelaMahaYoda Says:

    Some of the results are given on adaderana FB
    https://www.facebook.com/pg/adaderana/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1410126012425757
    Looks like Mahinda Deshapriya is trying to do a jillmart
    The official web page is dead.

  31. Ananda-USA Says:

    Derana TV:

    Mulativu District, Manthai East
    ITAK 6
    UNP 4
    SLFP 2
    EPDP 1
    TULF 0

  32. Ananda-USA Says:

    Derana TV blog post:

    වලවෙල පංසලේ සමිත හිමි: ​හක්මණ පොහොට්ටුවට

  33. Ananda-USA Says:

    Derana TV:

    Galle District, Ambalangoda

    SLPP 10
    UNP 6
    UPFA 3
    JVP 2

  34. Fran Diaz Says:

    Our grateful thanks to Ananda, for the Election news.

    ——————-

    Election news of Lanka in 2018 is the hottest news, but the well known sites (except for Lankaweb & Lanka C-News), are not publishing any of it.

    WHY ?? !!

  35. Cerberus Says:

    After the three years of mayhem by the මූසල කාලකන්නි යහපාලන බල්ලෝ I feel a lightness of Heart and a sense of happiness which I have not experienced for the last three years about Sri Lanka.

  36. Cerberus Says:

    Hi Ananda USA. I took the liberty of converting your poem above in English to Sinhala by using Google Tools. Hope you do not mind. Thank you for the poem which lifted my Heart.

    පිපි පිපි රේණු නටන පොහොට්ටුවක්
    වරෙන් වරෙන් හුලන් පොදක් අපේ අන්ගේත් ගැවිලා
    දෙන දෙවියෝ අපිටත් අද දවසේ දෙනවා
    අපිතට් අද දවසේ හඳ පායනවා
    අද දින අපිත් මල් පැනියෙන් නානවා

  37. Ananda-USA Says:

    Hi Cerburus,

    Thank you, although I must give most of the credit to Narada Dissasekara for his beautiful song “Pipi Pipi” which I adapted.

    Please note that in your translation, the first line is missing the last word “pippila”

  38. Ananda-USA Says:

    Derana TV Live Chat:

    hiran rangana​බේරුවලත් පොහොට්ටුව දිනයි.. රාජිතගේ බේරුවල සටන පරාදයි..

  39. Charles Says:

    Ananda whhat has happened in Badulla

  40. Ananda-USA Says:

    කළුතර දිස්ත‍්‍රික්කයත් පොහොට්ටුවටයි..
    February 11, 2018 at 2:25 am | lanka C news
    කළුතර දිස්ත‍්‍රික්කයත් පොහොට්ටුවටයි..

    පැවැති පළාත් පාලන මැතිවරණයේදී කළුතර දිස්ත‍්‍රික්කයද ජය ගැනීමට ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා පොදුජන පෙරමුණ සමත් වී ඇති බව ඡන්ද පොල නියෝජිතයෝ කියා සිටිති.

  41. Ananda-USA Says:

    From LankaCNews Blog:

    සිරිබිරිස් says:
    February 10, 2018 at 10:59 pm

    මේ චන්ද ප්‍රතිපලයෙන් රට බේරෙන්නේ මෙහෙමයි.

    1. මෛත්‍රිපාල පක්ෂය ආපසු මහින්දට දීම
    2. වාසී බලා මෛත්‍රි ලඟට ගොස් ඇති ශ්‍රී ල නි ප දේශපාලුවන්ට මහින්දගේ නායකත්වය පිළිගන්න සිදුවීම
    3. තුනෙන් දෙක නොලැබී දේශ ද්‍රෝහී ව්‍යවස්ථාව ගෙන ඒම නැවතීම

    මෙය අන්තර්ජාතික හා බෙදුම්වාදී සැලසුම් සුන් කර දැමූ ඓතිහාසික චන්දයකි

  42. Vaisrawana Says:

    @NeelaMaha Yoda

    Let’s change the last line to “panna damamu hora thakkadi kaenahila”

    එන්න මල්ලි එන්න නංගි සෙට්වෙලා
    පොට්ටුවට ජන්දේ දීපු හිනැහිලා
    එළිවෙනකොට කොළඹ ගිහින්
    යන්න කියමු හොර රනිල්ට පිටවෙලා

  43. Ananda-USA Says:

    Derana TV Live Chat:

    SAVICHARA ​රත්ගම ප්‍රාදේශීය සභාව කොට්ඨාස 11, SLPP : 11

    SAVICHARA ​හබරාදූව ප්‍රාදේශීය සභාව කොට්ඨාස 13, SLPP : 13

    SAVICHARA ​අම්බලන්ගොඩ නගර සභාව කොට්ඨාස 12, SLPP : 10 UNP : 02

    SAVICHARA ​නෙළුව ප්‍රාදේශීය සභාව කොට්ඨාස 10, SLPP : 09 SLFP : 01

    SAVICHARA ​නාගොඩ ප්‍රාදේශීය සභාව කො⁣ට්ඨාස 15, SLPP : 15

    SAVICHARA ​යක්කලමුල්ල ප්‍රාදේශීය සභාව කොට්ඨාස 12, SLPP : 12

    SAVICHARA ​නියාගම ප්‍රාදේශීය සභාව කොට්ඨාස 10, SLPP : 09 UNP : 01

  44. Ananda-USA Says:

    Derana TV Live Chat:

    SAVICHARA​ වැලිවිටිය දිවිතුර ප්‍රාදේශීය සභාව කොට්ඨාස 09, SLPP : 09

    SAVICHARA ​ගාල්ල දිස්ත්‍රික් මුළු කොට්ඨාස ගණන : 255 SLPP : 237 UNP : 17 SLFP : 01

  45. Ananda-USA Says:

    Derana TV Live Chat:

    SAVICHARA ​ප්‍රතිඵල සියල්ල Ready. මැ.කෝ ගේ අත්සන නැත. රාජ්‍ය මාධ්‍යය හැර සියලු මාධ්‍යය ආයතන එක හඬින් කියයි

  46. Ananda-USA Says:

    LankaCNews:

    පළාත් පාලන ඡන්ද විමසීම අවසන්.. ඡන්ද පෙට්ටි පිරී ඉතිරේ.. ඡන්දය දැමූ ප‍්‍රතිශතය මෙන්න..
    February 10, 2018 at 4:40 pm | lanka C news
    පළාත් පාලන ඡන්ද විමසීම අවසන්.. ඡන්ද පෙට්ටි පිරී ඉතිරේ.. ඡන්දය දැමූ ප‍්‍රතිශතය මෙන්න..

    පළාත් පාලන ආයතන 340ක් සදහා මන්ත‍්‍රීවරුන් 8,356ක් තෝරා පත් කර ගැනීම සදහා වූ අද පෙරවරු 07න් ඇරඹි ඡන්ද විමසීම පස්වරු 04.00ට අවසන් විය.

    මධ්‍යස්ථාන 13,374කදී මෙම ඡන්ද විමසීම පැවැත්වුනේ එක්කෝටි පනස් හත් ලක්ෂ හැටදහස් අටසිය හැට දෙකක ඡන්ද දායක පිරිසකගේ ඡන්දය ප‍්‍රකාශ කිරීම සදහායි.

    මෙවර මැතිවරණයේදී ඡන්දය භාවිතා කර ඇති ප‍්‍රතිශතය මෙසේය.

    ගම්පහ 75%
    කළුතර 80%
    මාතර 80%
    ගාල්ල 75%
    අනුරාධපුර 75%
    පොලොන්නරුව – 75%
    මාතලේ 80%
    කෑගල්ල 70%
    අම්පාර 70%
    මොණරාගල 80%
    බදුල්ල 65%
    හම්බන්තොට 70%
    කුරුණෑගල 78%
    පුත්තලම 73%
    කුරුණෑගල 78%
    මුලතිවු 78%
    ත‍්‍රිකුණාමලය 85%
    නුවරඑළිය 70%
    මහනුවර 65%
    යාපනය 62%

    — පස්වරු 03.00 වෙද්දී…

    අනුරාධපුර – 70%
    කිලිනොච්චි – 69
    රත්නපුර 75%

    තව විස්තර ඉදිරියට….

  47. Ananda-USA Says:

    Derana TV:

    Matara District (15 Pradeshiya Sabhas): Krinda/Puwella Pradeshiya Sabha

    Party Percent Seats
    SLPP 35.7% 7
    UNP 14.07% 3
    UPFA 3.82% 1
    JVP 3.37% 0

  48. SenaD Says:

    ECC has made an announcement according to Lankadeepa as follows.

    Can we believe what he says?

    ප්‍රතිඵල ප්‍රමාදයි – මැකො සභාපතිගෙන් නිවේදනයක්

    ඒ ඒ ඡන්ද මධ්‍යස්ථානවල හා කොට්ඨාශවල ඡන්ද ගණන් කිරීම් අවසන් වී ප්‍රතිඵල තේරීම්භාර නිලධාරීන් වෙත ෆැක්ස් සහ දුරකථන හරහා ලැබී ඇති නමුත් අතින් ගෙන එන ප්‍රතිඵල ප්‍රකාශ සසඳා බැලීමට තේරීම්භාර නිලධාරීන්ට සිදු වී ඇති බැවින් ප්‍රතිඵල නිකුත් කිරීම ප්‍රමාද වන බව මැතිවරණ කොමිෂන් සභාවේ සභාපති මහින්ද දේශප්‍රිය මහතා පවසයි.

    එමෙන්ම එකම කොට්ඨාශයේ ප්‍රතිඵල ප්‍රකාශ කිරීමේ දී තැපැල් ප්‍රතිඵල එකතු කර ප්‍රකාශ කර ඇති නමුත් සමහර ස්ථානවල තේරීම්භාර නිලධාරීන්ට ෆැක්ස් මඟින් ඒවා ඇත්තේ ප්‍රතිඵල වාර්තා දෙකෙන් එකක් පමණක් බැවින් සමස්ත ප්‍රතිඵලය සකස් කිරීමේ දී නැවත නැවතත් පරීක්ෂා කිරීමට තේරීම්භාර නිලධාරීන්ට සිදුවී ඇති බවත් ඒ මහතා නිවේනදයක් නිකුත් කරමින් ප්‍රකාශ කරයි.

    එම නිසා ඒ ඒ පළාත් පාලන ආයතනවල සමස්ත ප්‍රතිඵල ප්‍රකාශ කිරීමට තවත් සැලකිය යුතු වේලාවක් ගත වනු ඇති බව ද ඒ මහතා කියයි.

    පළාත් පාලන ආයතනයක සියලූම කොට්ඨාශවල ප්‍රතිඵල තේරීම්භාර නිලධාරීන් දත්ත පද්ධතියට ඇතුළත් කරන තෙක් එම පළාත් පාලන ආයතනයේ සමස්ත ප්‍රතිඵලය මාධ්‍ය වෙත නිදහස් කිරීමට හැකියාවක් නොමැති බව ද එම නිවේදනයේ සඳහන් වෙයි.

  49. Ananda-USA Says:

    SOURCE AdaDerana.lk/election

    All Island Results – Cumulative Party/Votes/%/Members Elected

    SLPP/15,319/47.44%/17

    UNP/9,182/28.43%/13

    UPFA/2,724/8.44%/4

    SLFP/523/1.62%/2

    JVP/1,914/5.93%//2

    ITAK/1,836/5.69%/6

    SLMC/0/0%/0

    OTHER/796/2.46/1

  50. Ananda-USA Says:

    These election results websites are ACTIVE NOW:

    https://www.slelection.online/

    http://adaderana.lk/local-authorities-election-2018/

    http://lankacnews.com

    http://newsfirst.lk/election/lga/5a71f5fda6c3672f5e0c4a6c

    https://itntv.lk/lge2018/

  51. Ananda-USA Says:

    Dear LankaWeb Editor,

    I submitted a Comment with election results webpage links.

    Can you please post that quickly for use by other readers?

    Thanks.

  52. Ananda-USA Says:

    Charles,

    I don’t have any info about Badulla. I will post as soon as I get the results.

  53. SenaD Says:

    Ananda_USA, you can make the link not a link by changing the o to a zero! However, I am not sure whether it would be acceptable to the editor.

  54. Charles Says:

    Ananda I do not trust this Election Commissioner. He is not dependable. We see even from the rejection of SLPP nominations for Maharagama. It was evident that it was an error, for which the nominations should not have been rejected. Even the courts supported him . That was strange. It was an error on the part of the EC to have rejected it. XWhy could not they have checked the names instead of relying on the Column showing F for Female and M for Male.

    Joint opposiotion should be vigilent that UNP will not do a jill mart. UNP has so much of money now !!! We see how even the Auditor General is acting in support of Yahapalanaya. Electiuon Commissioner is against Presidetn Mahinda Rajapakse, he had always bee.

  55. . Says:

    Ananda and Shenali

    When a commentator insert a hyperlink with the comment, moderator has to approve it. Shenali if you use o instead of zero in the link, the link will not work.

    So better to get help from the moderator.

  56. Ananda-USA Says:

    Now, My3 and Ranil will ACCELERATE their LAST DITCH EFFORT to CATCH CROOKS among the SLPP leaders, while ignoring themselves as the BIGGEST of ALL CROOKS!

    Oonna Yaluwey Horun Alla Gannata Yanna Yaman! Assaya gone Tik Tik Tik ……

  57. Amila Says:

    Thank you Ananda. Love your work.

    Pohottuwata Jayawewa.

  58. Ananda-USA Says:

    SenaD and . ,

    Thank you both.

    Yes, I am aware that links can bypass the moderator by that and other modifications, but then they are no longer active hyperlinks which readers can click on. So, I opted to ask the moderator’s help.

  59. Ananda-USA Says:

    Friends,

    I think the Elections Comissioner has halted all releases of results until he can repond to the UNP request for RECOUNTS!

    He said earlier on Derana TV that complete results will be released later than expected, but before 12 Noon on Feb 11, 2018.

    Let us keep our fingers crossed and HOPE that no JILL-MART happens as Charles fears.

    If they DIDDLE the numbers, especially in cases where the SLPP enjoys a substantial lead, they WILL GET CAUGHT and ALL HELL WILL BREAK LOOSE!

    SO FAR it has been a PEACEFUL ELECTION; if they DIDDLE the numbers post-election MAYHEM will be the CONSEQUENCE!

  60. PRIYAN WIJEYERATNE Says:

    May Father Lanka be saved by POHOTTUWA!!

    Jays Wewa!!!!!!!!!

  61. Charles Says:

    They even robbed the Central Bank in Broad Daylight- therefore jill-mart election results with the cooperation of EC is not some thing beyond their ability. Even now adding together the seats for each party, UNP, UPFA,SLFP, they out do SLPP

  62. Caesar Says:

    Official results are delayed purposely on the demand of Ranil to EC.
    Does this means that the Sira and Ranil trying to do a fraud ?

  63. Ananda-USA Says:

    MORE RELEASED: All Island Results – Cumulative

    Party/Votes/Percent/Members Elected

    SLPP/57,484/28.37%/68

    UNP/49,285/24.32%/54

    UPFA/20,304/10.02%/9

    SLFP/4,917/2.43%/9

    JVP/7,343/3.62%/6

    ITAK/22,193/10.95%/44

    SLMC/962/0.47%/2

    OTHER/40,165/19.82%/55

  64. Dilrook Says:

    Unprecedentedly high voters turnout for a LG election. This resulted in a high SLPP votes percentage.

    SLPP has won much higher than I forecasted in January. We are yet to see if SLPP will vote more than 40% island-wide. That is be a huge achievement.

  65. Dilrook Says:

    Unofficial all island result.

    SLPP – 47.9%
    UNP – 33.3%
    UPFA – 8.4%
    JVP – 6.1%
    TNA and others – 4.3%

    This is the same result as January 8, 2015.

  66. Charles Says:

    Ananda Something suspisious seems to be happening . I was watching Derana. They ask the viewers not to pay attention to the numner of seats allocated to each party, as the ECC has informed that there have been errors which would be corrected later. They say the number of votes caste for parties are however correct.

    Lot of people laughed at the SLPP there was one big mouth which refused to pronounce the word පොහොට්ටුව and called it පීරිස්ගේ කුනුකානුව. They called Rajapaksas were thieves without having any proof……JVP who wanted to get the largest number of votes judged and executed Rajapakses

  67. Ananda-USA Says:

    Dilrook,

    There is a very important difference between the results of Jan 8, 2015 and now as it relates to the SLPP/SLFP/UPFA.

    Now the SLPP has only the larger part of the original SLFP base which was split in two by Sirisena taking away a part of the SLFP constituency.

  68. Dilrook Says:

    @Ananda

    The result I posted is the unofficial final. Unofficial. So it will change.
    I consider the percentage not the number of seats. As if this was a presidential election.

    That applies to SLPP as well. If UNP and UPFA/SLFP continue their bitter marriage, many more LGs will go their way and SLPP councilors will join them for perks.

  69. Vaisrawana Says:

    I have a hunch that this percentage figure of 47.9 is wrong. It should be definitely above 50%. It is very clear that something is happening, for example, some doctoring of the number of votes polled by the contesting parties. We’ll have to wait for a few days more to know the result correctly. But before that, don’t you think, the yahapalana regime could be contemplating something desperate to plunge the country into chaos, justifying calling for foreign military intervention? That could be what Ranil was taught by the Americans to do in a critical situation like this.

  70. Christie Says:

    Time has come for the majority Sinhalese to unite and lead the country.

    We Sinhalese should rally around proven leaders to take our country forward and lead the country.

  71. Lorenzo Says:

    Whoever wins SLFP must be put together by HOOK OR BY CROOK.

    UNP cannot be allowed to win.

  72. Dilrook Says:

    SLFP (1951 – 2018) is now dead. There is no point resurrecting it now. It must be given a decent burial.

    SLPP has created a brand for itself contesting alone. It must be further developed.

  73. Ananda-USA Says:

    SOURCE: DailyMirror.lk

    Local Authority Election – 2018 LIVE
    All Island Results – Cumulative

    Information : Election Commission as at 2018-02-11 09:31:27 AM

    Party Votes Per -% Members
    Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna 783237 45.28% 1002
    United National Party 529320 30.60% 515
    United People’s Freedom Alliance 166686 9.64% 163
    People’s Liberation Front 106090 6.13% 83
    Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi 76637 4.43% 172
    Sri Lanka Freedom Party 67774 3.92% 91

  74. Ananda-USA Says:

    Friends,

    The above Cumulative All Island Results make the following ALLIANCES possible:

    1. [SLPP (45.28% vote)] (TOT=45.28%) Vs [UNP(30.60%)+UPFA(9.64%)+SLFP(3.92%)+JVP(6.13%)+ITAK(4.43%)] (TOT=54.72%)

    2. [SLPP (45.28% vote)] (TOT=45.28%) Vs [UNP(30.60%)+UPFA(9.64%)+SLFP(3.92%)+JVP(6.13%)](TOT=50.29%)

    3. [SLPP (45.28% vote)] (TOT=45.28%) Vs [UNP(30.60%)+UPFA(9.64%)+SLFP(3.92%)](TOT=44.16%)

    4. [SLPP(45.28%)+SLFP(3.92%)] (TOT=49.20%) Vs [UNP(30.60%)+UPFA(9.64%)+JVP(6.13%)](TOT=46.37%)

    5. [SLPP(45.28%)+UPFA(9.64%)] (TOT=54.64%) Vs [UNP(30.60%)+SLFP(3.92%)+JVP(6.13%)](TOT=40.65%)

    6. [SLPP(45.28%)+UPFA(9.64%)+SLFP(3.92%)] (TOT=58.84%) Vs [UNP(30.60%)+JVP(6.13%)](TOT=36.73%)

    7. [SLPP(45.28%)+UPFA(9.64%)+SLFP(3.92%)] (TOT=58.84%) Vs [UNP(30.60%)+ITAK(4.43%)](TOT=35.03%)

    8. [SLPP(45.28%)+UPFA(9.64%)+SLFP(3.92%)] (TOT=58.84%) Vs [UNP(30.60%)+JVP(6.13%)+ITAK(4.43%)(TOT=41.16%)

    This list of POSSIBLE ALLIANCES show that, IF control of Local Government is ESSENTIAL for FUTURE ELECTORAL SUCCESS in 2019 and 2020, then SLPP alone cannot overcome the opposition without at least ONE ALLIED PARTY, preferably the UPFA or the SLFP, its natural allies.

    Furthermore, IF Sirisena agrees to COOPERATE, then a NEW GOSL that DOES NOT INCLUDE the UNP, can be formed right now, with DEMONSTRATED grassroots-level support.

  75. Dilrook Says:

    @Ananda

    From a SLPP point of view, that is toxic. Sri Lanka is in a debt crisis since 2012. No one can fix the economy without painful taxes. Mahinda certainly cannot. If Mahinda becomes PM, UNP will go to the Opposition. Working with Sirisena will be extremely difficult for Mahinda.

    UNP will happily wait it out only another 20 months of economic disaster and easily win the 2019 presidential election.

    Fools rush in where even angels dire to tread.

  76. Ananda-USA Says:

    Dilrook,

    I heartily disagree with you about the chances of the UNP in WINNING a presidential election.

    The VAST MAJORITY of Sri Lankans will NOT VOTE for President a candidate of the Party that intends to federalize and disintegrate it, demonize and imprison its war-heroes, alienate its national assets to foreigners, and settle vast numbers of foreigners in the country displacing citizens in the interest of short term profit. That is what the results of this election tells us. The Sinhala Buddhists who were CONNED by the Yamapalana propaganda HAVE COME HOME to mother.

    The VERY IDEA of a UNP President is a NON-STARTER, an ANATHEMA to MOST Sri Lankans now.

  77. Ananda-USA Says:

    Election Commission explains delay in releasing 2018 Local Authority Election results
    Sun, Feb 11, 2018, 09:08 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

    Feb 11, Colombo: Election Commission of Sri Lanka says there is a practical problem of issuing results of the 2018 Local Authority and the release of results will be delayed considerably.

    Issuing a statement the Chairman of Elections Mahinda Deshapriya said counting has been completed and the Returning Officers have received the results by phone and fax.

    However the Returning Officers have to verify the results again and therefore, results cannot be released to media until the Returning Officers enter the necessary data.

    The Commission said despite the postal votes being included in the overall count of Local Government bodies, in several bodies the postal votes have not been handed over to the Returning Officer for the final tally. Therefore the Returning Officers have been vested with the responsibility of verifying the results once again.

    The Election Commission posted a message apologizing to the public for the inconvenience. It said:

    “This system was developed to update the map and relevant data automatically according to the results come from local polling stations. But election commission received the data for entire ward through a scan document in hard copy format which cannot be feed to the system.

    Therefore, please kindly note that the system will not update the information automatically.

    We apologize for the inconvenience.”

  78. Dilrook Says:

    We are in a similar situation as in early 2004. I strongly advised UPFA friendly MPs not to call for a general election and wait for the 2005 (not 2006 as Chandrika stated) presidential election. However, they got Chandrika to dissolve it and won the election. However, they were in a bad position for the 2005 presidential election mainly due to high oil prices, tsunami (unexpected) and CFA (they adhered to the CFA). Mahinda narrowly won due to low voters’ turnout in the north. Had they waited out, they could have won easily and also got a more patriotic parliament.

    Don’t be overconfident, Ananda. SLPP will at most achieve the same percentage as on January 8, 2015 or less. From that day, Mahinda has not improved. UNP+SLFP+JVP+TNA (Swan Alliance) still has over 50%. The final total tally will be telling. 6.2 million verses 5.8 (ups and downs for lower – compared to 2015 – voters’ turnout and higher number of voters).

    Also don’t forget Mahinda’s party won 56% at the 2011 LG election. Now it is divided between SLPP and UPFA. UNP percentage is unchanged.

    Mahinda should not demand or accept the PM post. Can’t they wait for another 19 months? They can have it all.

  79. NeelaMahaYoda Says:

    Dilrook

    Let’s face the reality. Whether they like it or not, the new constitution does not allow president or parliament to dissolve the parliament for another two years.

    But definitely there will be a presidential election in December 2019.

    Mahinda Rajapakse will not accept SLFP leadership nor PM post. If he accepts it it will be a disaster.

    But there is a fair chance that some of the SLFP minister will quit the sinking ship and join Mahinda.

  80. L Perera Says:

    Sri Lanka has got it right this time. Results indicate that the TWO PARTY SYSTEM is back. This in turn ensures that, next time they will have a Government that will have to honestly work towards economic prosperity for all. At the same time have a Robust opposition to ensure that those in power do what they have to do.

  81. Cerberus Says:

    Hi Ananda,
    Sorry about the mistake. My apologies. Here is the corrected poem in Sinhala.

    පිපි පිපි රේණු නටන පොහොට්ටුවක් පිපිලා
    වරෙන් වරෙන් හුලන් පොදක් අපේ අන්ගේත් ගැවිලා
    දෙන දෙවියෝ අපිටත් අද දවසේ දෙනවා
    අපිතට් අද දවසේ හඳ පායනවා
    අද දින අපිත් මල් පැනියෙන් නානවා

  82. Charles Says:

    Ananda you are wonderful. You did a great job the Sri Lanka TV stations failed to do.

    I was one of those who proposed the necessaity of a new party to replace SLFP even at the risk of loosing votes. I wrote an article suggesting it back in 2015 or so I think. I am glad SLPP came out victorious . Sirisena was comparing himself to the like of a Dasamaha Yodaya who helped the President Mahinda Rajapakse to win the war against terrorism. MR made a very good comment” that non of the Yodayas of King Dutgamunu ate appa with him and joined the enemey camp of Elara”

    President Maithripâla Sirisena suffers from an inferiority complex and that was how Ranil profited from him. He could not do that with Chandrika who kicked him out when he became uncontrrolable dining with the President of USA. It will be difficult for Mahinda Rajapakse to work with Sirisena. As it is thinks are not easy for Sri Lanka and how things could be redressed is rathher difficult to imagine.

    At least now we see the Sinhala Buddhists and Sinhala of other religions uniting to defeat UNP. The difficulty is with the UNP block votes. The Colombiians have a different mentaly from the rest of the Sinhala people elsewhere. That is how Rosy won the Colombo Municipality. The News first was a headache to watch, they were making the occasion to sling as much mud as possible at SLPP. Some of the journalists like Suranga were certainly too critical without any substantial evidence againt the Rajapakse regime.

  83. Dilrook Says:

    @Neela

    Yes.

    He should let this disastrous regime continue till it falls. If Sirisena is clever he should not attempt a new constitution. Even if he tries, it has no chance of success.

    We must not forget, if this was a presidential election, Swan Alliance comfortably won!

  84. Ancient Sinhalaya Says:

    Great result! Hope this will expedite the traitor catholic run UNPatriotic party murderous, lying, thieves’ YAMA
    PAALANAYA. It is sad to see still there are traitor Sinhalese who support this anti Sinhalese, anti Buddhist,
    anti Sri Lanka traitor UNPatriotic party. Traitor thieves only good at murder (Sinhalese only), robbery (mega
    only), lying (mega only).

    There are unprecedented number of traitors in this YAMA PAALANYA thieves headed
    by the traitor chief die hard catholic token Buddhist Mega Thief Mega Thakkadiya Bay Gal kaaraya Walking
    Crime Bomb (sorry the timer set for 10-20 years) Pol Pot r@ nil wickrama Sinhala killer along with cham pakaya,
    para jithaya, karume j, arjunaya durjanaya, somersaulting banda, lakshman milk dog, Ku dumindaya,etc and
    aided and abetted by jaathi dhrohee vermins’ party leader r@ nil’s C buddy pxke lapaya. Never in the
    history of our country so many traitor low lives got together to rape and destruct Mother Lanka, Sinhalese race
    and Buddhism to the delight of traitor
    low lives tamils, mussies and the kalu suddas aforesaid plus catholic west and the two faced crafty india.

    We hoped the traitor low lives will be wiped out from the map of Sri Lanka. But there is
    still a quite a few. Most probably C grade (brigade) guys who have no loyalty to Sri Lanka or the Sinhalese race.
    Thanks to parangi’s religion of convenience which don’t regard killing, lying, stealing, sexual misconduct, drug
    abuse etc as sins while all honest people including all the law courts under the sun do. Is there any wonder then
    these kalu suddas have no loyalty to your race let alone the country. Passe aapu anga lokui kan dekata wada!
    That’s how it is to kalu suddas. Thanks to their religion of convenience those traitors won’t be two legged
    creatures in their next lives since the traitor lot accrue a lot sins believing in their religion of convenience. Good
    for Mother Lanka!

  85. Charles Says:

    This is what I said about forming a new political party to replace SLFP:

    65 years after SWRD broke away from UNP, Mahinda Rajapakse should break away from SLFP, to form another Political Party.
    Posted on February 7th, 2016

    « …………A new Political Party may be a success or a failure, but nevertheless the risk has to be taken to see the back of the UNP lead Sririsena –Ranil-Chandrika Yahapalanaya fraud. A new political party will have stern opposition from the West and India, but the bull has to be taken by the horns…………”

  86. ranjit Says:

    Lankaweb readers must all thank and appreciate what Ananda did all day long to give our web readers 2018 LG polls results before any media channels. Like me majority believed in Mahinda Rajapaksa our beloved President. As a person he is more sincere and trustworthy than any other politician in the current parliament. Evil trio Sira Ranil Chandrika are famous for their lies and bogus promises among the voters that’s the reason they lost the public trust. They are history now. They should leave and go before the people in this country pull them out of their seats. They used vulger words on poltical platforms and abused our great war hero Mahinda Rajapaksa without any respect or decency. This current Yamapalanaya answerable to the people in this country for their crimes against the Motherland and it’s citizens.

  87. Indrajith Says:

    2018 පලාත් පාලන මැතිවරණ ප්‍රථිඵලය මෙරට ප්‍රගතිශීලි,
    දේශමාමක ජනතාව ලැබූ විශිෂ්ඨ ජයග්‍රහනයක්!

    තරඟයේ වීරයා වීමල් වීරවංශ මන්ත්‍රී තුමා.

  88. Ananda-USA Says:

    Dilrook,

    1. It is a truism that public support for the victor ERODES after the election that gave them that victory. Therefore, we must ask, is it better to wait for a better opportunity or take control now, if possible. Don’t forget that while SLPP support could erode from now on, the opposition will also act to acce;lerate that process and buttress their own position.

    2. As in taking over and turning around a business, opportunities for a new management to make a difference and gain influence are best found when the business in DIRE STRAITS and FAILING, NOT when it if DOING WELL. Likewise, there is an opportunity NOW for the SLPP/Mahinda Rajapaksa to step in and CORRECT ALL THAT IS WRONG with Sri Lanka NOW in the EYES of the VOTING PUBLIC. At a LATER TIME, those opportunities may LESS. The PATRIOTIC PUBLIC have VOTED EXCACTLY for this: to STOP the Yamapalana TRAIN and RESCUE the Nation. Their HOPES are HIGH; let us not pusillanimously DISAPPOINT THEM!

    3. The Yamapalanaya WILL STRIKE BACK very strongly against the SLPP leaders now, with ALL THE POWERS at their command and they will move to placate their concerned FOREIGN and MINORITY backers now.

    Expect to see, as Sirisena has threatened, renewed moves to prosecute, convict and imprison not the CRIMINALS in the Yamapalanaya on REAL charges, but the SLPP leaders on FRIVOLOUS charges without real MERIT.

    Also expect to see the new CONSTITUTION to FEDERALIZE Sri Lanka move forward quickly as their last despicable act in collusion with minorities, and FAST ACTION on implementing the ECTA agreement with India.

    Furthermore, the two-step dance they began with foreign nations and the UN to DEMONIZE and PROSECUTE our heroic leaders will be RENEWED in EARNEST to discredit the SLPP and leave it leaderless.

    Finally, the SALE of National Assets to foreigners will ACCELERATE to fund a frenetic push to earn money to FUND their GLODEN PARACHUTES in foreign countries as they prepare to FLEE THE COUNTRY to safe havens abroad BEFORE the Presidential Elecion in 2019 and General Election in 2020. They CLEARLY SEE the WRITING ON THE WALL NOW as the Sinhala Buddhist majority rises up in arms to regain their lost power and heritage.

    I am not saying that these things will succeed; but they will CERTAINLY happen in the next two years with the Yamapalana WAR-CHESTS FULL of the Nation’s LOOTED MONEY!

    Therefore, the QUESTION Patriots must ask themselves now is: DO WE WAIT FOR THE INEVITABLE to REACT, or DO WE ACT PRO-ACTIVELY NOW? CARPE’ DIEM!

  89. Ananda-USA Says:

    DailyMirror.lk: All Island Results – Cumulative

    Information : Election Commission as at 2018-02-12 12:27:21 AM

    Party Votes Per -% Members
    Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna 4,941,952 44.65% 3369
    United National Party 3,612,259 32.63% 2385
    United People’s Freedom Alliance 989,821 8.94% 674
    People’s Liberation Front 693,875 6.27% 431
    Sri Lanka Freedom Party 491,835 4.44% 358
    Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi 339,675 3.07% 407

  90. Ananda-USA Says:

    AdaDerana.lk: All Island Results – Cumulative

    Party Votes Percent Members

    SLPP 3,682,900 42.26% 2446

    UNP 2,502,156 28.71% 1614

    UPFA 647,606 7.43% 423

    SLFP 423,906 4.86% 291

    JVP 578,384 6.64% 349

    ITAK 192,033 2.20% 217

    SLMC 30,216 0.35% 21

    OTHER 658,231 7.55% 493

  91. Ananda-USA Says:

    Friends,

    Please note that the OTHER party category in the AdaDerana.lk election results includes not only small REGISTERED PARTIES but also INDEPENDENT GROUPS that could not gain recognition from the EC as valid registered political parties.

    For example, Vigneswaran’s Separatist Tamil Group is very likely to be one of those INDEPENDENT GROUPS, as well as many Sinhala Nationalist Groups such as Ven. Gnanasara’s movement.

    Therefore, there are many opportunities for the SLPP and the UNP to court ALLIES from the groups belonging to the OTHER category.

    Over 150 new political parties sought recognition from the Election Commission, but only 6 of these parties were accepted. This created a VERITABLE FRENZY among the REJECTED groups to find other SMALL REGISTERED PARTIES that could host and provide Nominations for this election.

    On the EVE of this Election and as a CONSEQUENCE of it, I was caught in the middle of one such battle to PROTECT a well established small PATRIOTIC LONG-ESTABLISHED REGISTERED political party from a HOSTILE TAKEOVER. I am still immersed up to my ears in the ensuing litigation.

  92. Ananda-USA Says:

    Hark! the herald angels sing
    Glory to the new-born Pohottuwa
    Peace in Lanka and mercy mild
    SLPP and SLFP to be reconciled?

    ……………………………………………………
    President to make decisive changes in governing
    Sun, Feb 11, 2018, 10:43 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

    Feb 11, Colombo: Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has disclosed that he is ready to take several decisions that affect the country politically in the next few days.

    Minister Susil Premajayantha said the President has requested to make a public statement about his decision announced during a Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) meeting following the local government elections.

    A minister who represents the SLFP told BBC Sinhala Service that a meeting between President Maithripala Sirisena and ministers of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party will take place on Sunday (February 11) in order to make decisions regarding the situation that has emerged at the Local Government election.

    The Minister said a decision will be taken on whether to stay in the government at that meeting.

    Political sources say that the defeat of the two main political parties of the government, the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) at Saturday’s (February 10) local government election, has created a grave situation.

    Political observers say that even though the local government result does not have an impact on the parliamentary composition, the public opinion expressed against the government can have a severe impact on the government’s future.

    Parliamentarian Dinesh Gunawardena speaking at a media briefing held in Colombo today stated that the government cannot go ahead with the local government election result since the people’s mandate given to the government has been abolished.

    Under such circumstances, the Joint Opposition urges the President to dissolve parliament and hold parliamentary elections.

    Speaking at a joint press conference, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) GL Peiris said that the results of the election show that President Maithripala Sirisena should take steps to hand over the leadership of the SLFP to the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

    With this defeat, the crisis of leadership in the UNP has resurfaced, especially when the party is in power, and the party leader, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is responsible for the defeat, a senior minister of the party has told the BBC.

    If the UNP is to face an election in the future, the UNP leadership should be changed, the minister said.

    Meanwhile, the UNP sources say that the Prime Minister has called for a group of UNP leaders to meet this evening to discuss the new political situation.

  93. Ananda-USA Says:

    UNP retains Colombo MC electing first woman mayor for Sri Lankan capital city
    Sun, Feb 11, 2018, 09:21 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

    Feb 11, Colombo: The United National Party (UNP) retained power in the Colombo Municipal Council securing the highest number of votes in Colombo at the Local Government (LG) Elections.

    As a result the UNP Mayor elect Rosy Senanayake will become the first female Mayor of the Sri Lankan capital city.

    The UNP obtained a majority of 46 percent with 131,353 votes with 60 council seats while the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) received 21 percent with 60,087 votes securing 23 seats.

    The United People’s Freedom Alliance came in third securing 12 seats in the Council with 31,421 votes.

  94. Ananda-USA Says:

    Sri Lanka ruling parties defeated as former president’s party secures landslide victory in local government polls
    Sun, Feb 11, 2018, 11:48 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

    Feb 11, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s ruling parties in the unity government suffered humiliating defeat at the local government elections held on Saturday at the hands of the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).

    Although the official results are not completely released yet, the newly formed party, officially led by former minister Prof. G.L. Peiris is said to have secured victory of over 250 out of the 340 local government bodies.

    According to the results released so far, the ruling United National Party has come in second and the United People’s Freedom Alliance led by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is at a distant third. It is said to be the biggest defeat a ruling party has suffered in local government election history.

    According to the Executive Director of Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) Keerthi Tennakoon, UNP has secured victory in Colombo, Kandy, Kurunegala, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Hatton, Hambantota, Badulla, Wattala, Negombo, Kolonnawa, Kuliyapitiya, Panadura UC, Panadura Urban Council, Badulla, Passara, and Lunugala Pradeshiya Sabha.

    The main constituent party of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi has won the divisions in Northern Province while Sri Lanka Muslim Congress has secured victory in the Muslim majority divisions in the Eastern Province with the SLPP wining the Sinhala majority divisions in Ampara district.

    Following the apparent victory, elated former president Mahinda Rajapaksa issuing a statement asked his supporters to celebrate the victory peacefully and with restraint.

  95. Ananda-USA Says:

    Newly elected LG bodies to be convened on March 02
    Sun, Feb 11, 2018, 09:45 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

    Feb 11, Colombo: The Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government says the newly-elected local government bodies will be convened on March 02nd.

    Subject minister Faizer Mustafa will issue the relevant gazette notification in due course, the state radio reported.

    According to the Ministry secretary Kamal Padmasiri, convening the new LG bodies, originally set for February 15th, had been put off on the advice of the Election Commission.

    He said the new local government members will be given training in collaboration with the provincial councils. More than 8,000 members will be elected under the new electoral system.

  96. Ananda-USA Says:

    Dilrook,

    You said the CONSTITUTION does NOT ALLOW the Parliament to be dissolved for another 2 years.

    Yet, here is an EXCERPT from the news article I posted above entitled “President to make decisive changes in governing”:

    “Parliamentarian Dinesh Gunawardena speaking at a media briefing held in Colombo today stated that the government cannot go ahead with the local government election result since the people’s mandate given to the government has been abolished.

    Under such circumstances, the Joint Opposition urges the President to dissolve parliament and hold parliamentary elections.

    Is Dinesh Gunwardena UNAWARE of the Constitutional restriction?

  97. Ananda-USA Says:

    SLPP reminds how Ranil invited to form govt following MR’s 2015 defeat. Prez, PM urged to step down

    Island.lk
    February 11, 2018, 11:33 pm

    SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris addressing the media. Peiris is flanked by Wimal Weerawansa and Dinesh Gunawardena (Pic by Nimal Dayaratne)

    By Shamindra Ferdinando

    Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna/Joint Opposition yesterday demanded that the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe coalition give up parliamentary power to pave the way for a new administration in the wake of debilitating defeat they had suffered at countrywide local government poll on Feb. 10.

    JO parliamentary group leader and MP Dinesh Gunawardena, SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris, MP Dullas Alahapperuma, MP Udaya Gammanpila, MP Wimal Weerawansa, MP Pavitradevi Wanniarachchi, Communist Party representative Rajah Collure and former Governor of the Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal on behalf of professionals backing the SLPP/JO called for change of government.

    The declaration was made at Battaramulla Nelum Mawatha Office of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa soon after the SLPP captured more than 200 local government bodies in areas outside the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

    Alahapperuma said that having won January 8, 2015 presidential poll, Maithripala Sirisena invited UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to form the government on the basis the SLFP-led UPFA no longer enjoyed the confidence of electorate. Therefore, the same concept should now be applied in the wake of massive drubbing the coalition received at what he called countrywide referendum.

    The Matara District MP said that at the time, President Sirisena invited Wickremesinghe to form the government, the UNP parliamentary group comprised 46 members out of 225-member parliament. “At the time of the presidential poll, the SLFP parliamentary group consisted of 126 members. The SLFP-led UPFA parliamentary group comprised 152 members. We enjoyed a two-thirds majority until 4pm, January 9,” Alahapperuma said.

    Alahapperuma quoted President elect Sirisena as having told the SLFP/UPFA group that the party had lost its mandate in the wake of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s defeat.

    The rebel MP emphasized that they wouldn’t conspire to bring down the government, but the marriage of convenience couldn’t continue.

    Declaring that the vast majority of people had exercised their franchise to reiterate their faith in war winning twice President Mahinda Rajapaksa, MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena said that Feb. 10 verdict was a victory for the country. Gunawardena said the SLPP/JO was able to secure massive victory in spite of the JO denied opportunities in parliament it deserved being much bigger than the appointed Opposition.

    A smiling Gunawardena stressed that President Sirisena and PM Wickremesinghe had suffered unprecedented heavy defeat at the first election in three years. “This is nothing but a shameful defeat for the president and the premier”, he said.

    Asserting that yahapalana leaders had lost their much touted 2015 mandate, Gunawardena urged them to step down. The JO parliamentary group leader emphasized that often repeated 6.2 mn vote mandate no longer existed. Therefore, they should accept defeat, Gunawardena said, adding that massive endorsement of their party reflected what the electorate really thought of them.

    Prof. Peiris said the electorate had obviously considered several vital issues before deciding to vote overwhelmingly against those in power and the JVP that cooperated with the government. Declaring that Feb. 10 ruling couldn’t be compared with any other election result under any circumstances, Prof. Peiris said that malicious propaganda blitz directed at the Rajapaksas and members of the JO/SLPP had backfired.

    President Sirisena’a pathetic failure to secure more votes in the Polonnaruwa electoral district more than the SLPP was a stunning blow to the SLFP leader. “We polled 94,136 votes while Sirisena’s party managed 89,000 followed by the UNP and the JVP,” Prof. Peiris said, asserting that Feb. 10 result had far broader implications than newly established SLPP securing more local government bodies than the UNP, SLFP and the TNA combined. “That is the undeniable truth,” the former law Professor said.

    Alleging that SLFP leader Sirisena had made a desperate bid to sabotage final SLPP rally in Polonnaruwa, Prof. Peiris said yahapalana leaders, Sirisena and Wickremesinghe should realize what they badly lost was a referendum on the performance of three-year coalition.

    The SLFPers, obviously lacked faith in President Sirisena’s leadership, the former External Affairs Minister said, asserting that the party had paid a very heavy price for reckless, irresponsible and malicious campaign targeting the former President and his family.

    Weerawansa said that there had never been an instance of a party in power losing local government polls before Feb. 10 drubbing. The National Freedom Front leader said that the unprecedented victory was even bigger than the 1956 revolution. Weerawansa said that those who had conducted poll surveys as well as the media couldn’t foresee what was going to happen. Calling the people’s action kathira tsunami, Weerawansa said those who had felt comfortable and believed they could continue regardless of every sector being in crisis, received a crude shock.

    Weerawansa said the people had been so disappointed with yahapalana mismanagement of the country, they overwhelmingly voted for SLPP proxy at Maharagama and Thirapane to inflict losses on yahapalana partners.

    SLPP/JO leaders paid a glowing tribute to both print and electronic media for ensuring sufficient coverage for them in spite of difficulties.

    Alahapperuma claimed that the UNP had spent over Rs. 1 bn for propaganda and the SLFP a little less than that, yet they couldn’t overcome growing public resentment. The Feb. 10 verdict, Alahapperuma declared was the culmination of their failure to remove the former President from politics. “Mahinda is the strongest and most loved leader whatever the critics say,” the MP said.

    The media was told of the role played by former SLFP National Organizer and powerful Economic Affairs Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Prof. Peiris, in his capacity as the Chairman of the party.

    The SLPP received National Election Commission’s recognition in late 2016.

  98. Dilrook Says:

    @Ananda

    Dinesh is probably aware as he voted for it!

    But he is playing politics. The parliament cannot be dissolved for another exactly 2 years. Unless the parliament passed another amendment to the constitution.

    We must not be overconfident.

    DNA (Swan Alliance) retained their 6.2 million votes since January 2015, through August 2015 parliamentary election and 2018 LG election. Mahinda on the other hand suffered a reduction from his 5.8 million votes to 5.1 million votes. If this were a presidential election, Sirisena has once again beaten Mahinda with a bigger margin!

    Mahinda has to get that elusive 50% before attempting a national election.

    I hear you but those justifications still cannot stand the enormous weight of the debt crisis. No one can save Sri Lanka from it without more painful taxes. That makes a government very unpopular.

  99. Ananda-USA Says:

    Wimal Weerawansa is quoted in the above news article:

    “The National Freedom Front leader said that the unprecedented victory was even bigger than the 1956 revolution.”

    ” Weerawansa said that those who had conducted poll surveys as well as the media couldn’t foresee what was going to happen.”

    YES, INDEED the POLITICAL PUNDITS were ABYSMALLY WRONG!

    But, I …. a mere grasshopper and NOT a RENOWNED POLITICAL PUNDIT …. predicted a REVOLUTION and not a MERE ELECTION VICTORY on February 10, 2018 …… right here at LankaWeb!

    Like Wimal, I said it would be JUST LIKE, or even SURPASS, the 1956 REVOLUTION wrought by SWRD Bandaranayake’s PATRIOTIC Coalition that reduced the governing UNP to 8 parliamentary seats!

    That is the ASTOUNDING POWER of PATRIOTISM and of PATRIOTS. It is an UNSTOPPABLE POWER that springs from DEEP WITHIN the HEARTS of ORDINARY PEOPLE with an EXTRAORDINARY LOVE for their Motherland, that ONCE TAPPED INTO emerges as a POWER that CONFOUNDS and STUNS those who don’t know what PATRIOTISM is!

    Jayawewa … Sri Lanka DESHAPREMINI … Mama ada dina obata NAMASKARA karami!

  100. Ananda-USA Says:

    BAH, HUMBUG!

    The UNPatriotic Party WILL NEVER LEARN, because it depends for its support on UNPatriotic ethno-religious minorities and on a Colombian ELITE, interested ONLY in feathering their own nests, that DOES NOT IDENTIFY and make COMMON CAUSE with the vast majority of ordinary Sinhala Buddhist Sri Lankan citizens!

    The UNPatriotic Party is just a PARA-GATHI KALLIYA of ugly PARASITES infesting Sri Lankan society for personal profit!

    They will NEVER LEARN!
    ………………………………….

    UNP accepts people’s decision, promises to do better
    Sun, Feb 11, 2018, 08:54 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

    Feb 11, Colombo: The ruling party of Sri Lankan government, United National Party (UNP) accepting the defeat at the local government elections say the party will commit to fulfill people’s expectations and come back stronger.

    Issuing a statement UNP General Secretary Minister Kabir Hashim said the party will deeply think about the people’s warning and commit themselves to perform their duties accurately and speedily.

    “We bow down to the decision taken by the people at the local government polls. People have given us a warning message through the election,” he said.

    Minister Kabir Hashim said the government has fulfilled many tasks and services during the past period and some of them are displayed to the public.

    “This election is a good example. We were able to create a better election environment, instead of the election system which spending big sums of money even created conflicts among the candidates of the same party. The present government completely stopped the misuse of state properties and resources for the election,” he said.

    He pointed out that the present government was able to make a significant contribution to health, education and several other sectors.

    Minister Hashim said results of many of the services accomplished by the UNP are not yet visible to the people and will become evident soon and people will reap the benefits.

    The Minister also acknowledged that there were many tasks the government was unsuccessful in fulfilling. He said the debt burden inherited from the Rajapaksa regime and the natural disasters the country experienced often during the last three years were the reason for this situation.

    The UNP general secretary said steps will be taken to achieve success in the unsuccessful and delayed tasks.

    “However, we will work with full effort and strength to fulfill what we missed,” Minister Hashim said.

    “On January 8 people of this country gave us a mandate for a socio-economic and political change. That responsibility was confirmed at the August general election. In keeping with the mandate given to us by the people in August, we reiterate our commitment to meaningfully implement the tasks given to us by the people,” Minister Kabir Hashim said.

  101. Ananda-USA Says:

    A Brisk and Brusque Verdict
    Island.lk
    February 11, 2018, 12:00 pm

    By Sarath de Alwis

    A Verdict Earned

    President Maithripala Sirisena has earned the verdict given in local government polls. He appointed candidates defeated at the parliamentary elections through the national list and made them cabinet ministers. In electoral democracy, failure is decisive. Overturning the people’s verdict has a price.

    The verdict rendered at the local government polls is brisk and brusque. Brisk means quick and sudden. Brusque means blunt and rude. The people have quickly and suddenly decided to halt the Maithri-Ranil circus. The astounding margins with which the people have repudiated the ‘yahapalanaya’ of the President and the Prime Minister is conclusive evidence that the people have been blunt and rude. Hence the brisk and brusque title ‘Hip Deep in Shit’.

    We can draw some satisfaction from the fact that we now have systems in place to hold free and fair elections. Democracy presumes that we are all rational creatures. All who vote at elections can relate truth to reality and vice versa. Identifying truth is not easy in this age of instant news, gossip and kite flying. It calls for prudence, courage and one’s own idea of virtue.

    People are wise

    We who are impudent enough to comment on voter behavior often forget that people are wise. The President’s principal platform was on his determination and ability to eliminate corruption. He promised to punish the corrupt in this government and those in the previous government. The Prime Minister assured that crooks would be punished, loans repaid, jobs created, and everybody wired to Wi-Fi. Mahinda Rajapaksa’s task was much simpler. The regime that replaced his is equally or more corrupt. They are inept as well. Mahinda’s claim resonated. No one would claim that he was inept.

    When election results are excruciatingly discomforting, the temptation to interpret them is irresistible. Politicians and political parties are good at misinterpreting dismal performances.

    President Sirisena under interpreted and over interpreted his mandate according to his personal whims and political fancies. He promised to be a single term incumbent and then decided to fortify his powerbase for 2020. He voluntarily reduced his term, but later sought Supreme court ruling on the precise expiry of his term.

    Preaching and Practice

    He condemned nepotism and family bandysm. “If you were to ask me how I became the common candidate I don’t think even I could give you a proper answer. I see this as some sort of a miracle. I was a part of this Government with a lot of heartache having witnessed rampant corruption, nepotism and family bandysm which is a part and parcel of this government.”

    One of his first appointments was that of his brother to the top job in Sri Lanka Telecom. His son-in-law has an assignment with the Ministry of Defence. He is not tired of reiterating his commitment to fight corruption. He publicly reprimanded the executive head of the Bribery Commission for producing retired defence high-ups before a magistrate. The Director General of the CIABOC resigned.

    The Common Candidate for the Presidency was a civil society creature. Civil Society expected the elected President to adhere to the agreed policy agenda. The hybrid government was a two-headed donkey that was stalling. Civil Society activists soon discovered that the President had his own advisors. Affairs of state were of such importance and significance that they required analysis by more astute minds than those of some well-meaning academics and idealistic activists. It was time to jettison civil society dreamers of ‘yahapalanaya’.

    Ranil’s Manifest Destiny

    Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is a man convinced that ruling this island nation is his manifest destiny. The success of the common candidate was therefore a bitter pill to swallow. The hybrid government was a farcical orchestration. A selected coterie held all strings and the puppet at the top was expected to conform and comply. Thanks to Sobhitha Thero’s insistence the 19th Amendment has lifted the lid. The Bond Scandal unraveled over two years.

    Mahinda’s brother-in-law lost billions running the airline for seven years. The brother of one of the yahapalana cronies seems determined to match that performance and has succeeded admirably in the last three years.

    The last three years have been qualitatively different from the years under the Rajapaksa presidency. If we did not mind his business, he left us alone. He held elections and won them fair and square by persuading people with whatever it took for him to win. He didn’t rush elections. He went about the business of elections quietly and patiently. He was not stupid enough to hold island wide elections in the middle of a presidential term which could be construed as a test on performance.

    Since 8th January 2015, we have been subject to naked manipulation, blatant lies, systematic spin and downright dishonesty. In Mahinda’s time we were informed or directed. Mahinda did not preach. In contrast there is no end to Maithri’s sermons and Ranils lectures. Mahinda’s coercive state apparatus was anchored to reality. He was the arch pragmatist not seduced by idealistic trivial.

    The Inconvenient Truth

    Sirisena’s benign governance is totally detached from reality.

    Political truths are terrible to deal with. Post-election truths are not only terrible but are mind boggling. The mixture of fact, opinion and conjecture that partisan analysts resort to are not worth our attention. Plain speaking is the need of the hour.

    The people have given their verdict. ‘Honest’ crooks are better than ‘dishonest’ crooks. Skim off on contracts with foreign parties. Don’t rob our pension funds. Naked ambition is preferred to ambition wrapped in false altruism. Better to have good war winning crooks than crooks who shield other crooks.

  102. Dilrook Says:

    Whoever relied on Ranil, abysmally failed. UNP failed thanks to him; Sirisena failed, Chandrika failed and even the international community and the LTTE failed relying on Ranil.

    Ranil must resign and handover UNP leadership to a young patriotic leader. Akila, Sajith, Harin, Ranjan, Sujeewa or even Ravi can do far better than Ranil.

    Kabir has resigned like a gentleman but the bell tolls for Ranil.

    Rajapaksas are in a dilemma of victory. As Ananda has correctly pointed out, SLPP voters have high hopes and they were not restricted to culvert, road work and garbage collection LG politics. They voted for a national political change in mind. All their slogans were national. Unless they were given that, they will soon lose hope and SLPP will fall in popularity. For this, Rajapaksas must take power, become PM and start delivering. Further, a wounded Sirisena and UNP will be determined to legally neutralize Rajapaksas. They already have the evidence. This can be prevented if Rajapaksas are in charge. Even if Mahinda is unwilling to assume the PM post, his MPs, PC supporters and a massive number of LG councilors want power for their party and they cannot wait. Unless Mahinda takes power, some of them will crossover to where power is – SLFP and UNP.

    However, on the flip side, the economic crisis is not political. It is national. No one can fix it without painful austerity measures. These are unpopular.

    His decision will make or break the long term viability of the SLPP. Should he think long term (20 months) or short term (12 months)? Comments are wlcome.

  103. Ananda-USA Says:

    Charles,

    The Badulla District results can be found on the DailyMirror.lk website.

    Here is the weblink: http://lgelections2018.dailymirror.lk/election/localauthorities/EN/22

  104. Ananda-USA Says:

    After the landslide: The bigger picture
    Island.lk
    February 11, 2018, 9:58 pm

    By Dr. DAYAN JAYATILLEKA

    It was the well-established, UNP and West-friendly website ECONOMYNEXT that broke the story using the ‘L’ Word—Landslide:

    “Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s proxy was set for an unexpected landslide victory in Saturday’s local council elections…Unofficial results showed that the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) was leading in almost all the districts outside the north and the east and was on its way to secure an unassailable 51 percent of the total votes polled.Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP) was being pushed to a humiliating second place…”(‘Rajapaksa proxy heads for landslide in Sri Lanka vote’- Feb 10th)

    “Landslide” certainly, “unexpected landslide”—er, not entirely. I was probably one of the very few (to put it exceedingly charitably) in the mainstream media who called it right, quite unambiguously, and on the record: “…or whether (as I think) the Pohottuwa will wind up quite simply, the largest single party, displacing the UNP from that historical role and status.” (‘Feb 10th and the Electoral Gamble that Failed’, The Island, Wednesday, Feb 7th 2018)

    The fact that I predicted this result proves that the result was predictable—all it needed was not to be blinded by the veils of Maya.My personal favourite piece of pre-election punditry was Sunanda Deshapriya’s firm prediction of MR’s crushing defeat, in a signed column in the Ravaya,saying that “Mahinda’s Pohottuwa won’t succeed in getting even 51% of the Sinhala majority”. The Island’s Political columnist CA Chandraprema and I cannot be faulted if we were the only ones to take serious note, repeatedly and in print (in my case, also on my fortnightly TV show on Sirasa), of the results of the Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society (MPCS) elections of last year in which the pro-Mahinda camp swept the board against all comers and all combinations of all comers. They were the precursor of what has now arrived.

    Thus my initial response is not to write at length on the why and wherefore of the result, because my political writings in these pages have consistently given the reasons why this should and would happen.

    What I am more concerned about are the larger strategic picture and what I had defined in the title of my first book (Vikas, New Delhi 1995) as Sri Lanka’s “Protracted Crisis”.

    Sri Lankan politics is determined by the dynamics on two axis: the horizontal and the vertical. The horizontal axis pertains to the contestation for political power at the center between parties or blocs. This is the dimension of South-South competition. The vertical axis of Sri Lankan politics is the North-South one, dealing with the dynamics of the Northeastern and the South, as well as what I termed in my Deshamanya Nandadasa Kodagoda Lecture of 2013 as the Greater North or the Far North, i.e. the world. This horizontal dimension is that of Center-Periphery politics in which Colombo is the center and Jaffna the periphery , but this gets inverted the further away we move, and Colombo is the periphery while the developed world’s capitals are the center.

    On the day of the election, the news broke that the TNA had joined 10 Tamil diaspora organizations to demand that Brigadier Priyanka Fernando be declared persona non grata.

    What does this mean and portend? Let’s start with the ten Tamil Diaspora organizations which cover the entire politico-ideological spectrum in the UK: Tamil Conservatives, Tamils for Labour and Tamil Lib-Dems. They’ve written a lengthy petition to the British authorities in support of their demand.

    These Tamil groups in the UK have petitioned Home Secretary Amber Rudd and Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs, Boris Johnson, requesting that the British government to “declare the Sri Lankan Military Attaché Brigadier Priyanka Fernando a Persona non Grata for committing a serious offence under British law, abusing diplomatic immunity in the UK and committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sri Lanka and therefore, to curtail his leave to remain in the UK.”

    The Tamil Diaspora groups that have made this request are the British Tamil Conservatives (BTC),British Tamils Forum (BTF),Global Tamil Forum (GTF),International Centre for the Prevention and Prosecution of Genocide (ICPPG),Tamils Coordinating Committee (TCC-UK), Tamils for Labour, Tamil Friends of the Liberal Democrats, Tamil Information Centre (TIC), Tamil National Alliance – UK (TNA-UK), Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), Tamil Solidarity (TS), Tamil Youth Organization (TYO), and World Tamils Historical Society (WTHS).

    Very significantly the petition is not merely against Brigadier Fernando but is a 14 page long diatribe against the waging of the war, and the Sri Lankan state and government. The critique of Brigadier Fernando does not pertain merely to his hand gesture but to his role as a combat officer in our war of liberation from terrorism.

    Not once in the petition do the signatories condemn or even refer to the incontrovertible fact that the demonstration by ‘Tamil Solidarity’ was replete with Tiger banners, sundry regalia and pro-terrorist slogans (‘Our Leader-Prabhakaran’).

    The fact that they have not tried to put any distance between themselves and the LTTE driven nature of the mobilization shows they have no problem whatsoever with that Tiger/pro-Prabhakaran character. This in turn logically means that these ten Tamil Diaspora organizations are pro-separatist, pro-terrorist and pro-totalitarian. This is not democratic dissent.

    It is also noteworthy that there has not been a Tamil political voice which is critical of both the Brigadier and the Tiger demonstrators. This means that the Tamil diaspora political space is either pro-separatist terrorist or lacks a strong and bold enough alternative within it; an alternative that could be anti-government and even anti-state, but is anti-LTTE.

    What is striking is that this pro-Tiger militancy was demonstrated on Sri Lanka’s 70th Independence Day, with no Tamil cautionary note against it, precisely while there is a liberal Sri Lankan government in place, not a militantly majoritarian nationalist one.

    If this is how the Tamil Diaspora treats the liberal reformist Sirisena government, we can clearly understand the true nature of that Diaspora and the underlying community.

    If push comes to shove, the Tamil Diaspora is pro-Tiger or too scared to be otherwise, then it cannot be a legitimate partner for dialogue on the part of Sri Lankan democrats, progressives, liberals or the democratic Sri Lankan state.

    But these are the UNP’s partners and allies! What is most striking and strikingly dangerous, is that these organizations are partners of the UNP in government. These are organizations that were unbanned by Mangala Samaraweera as Foreign Minister.

    These are organizations which accompanied Samaraweera to Singapore before the election of January 2015. These are organizations which Samaraweera met officially in London when he was Foreign Minister. These are organizations which were received over the past three dismal years at the offices of the Sri Lankan Government and State in Colombo, including the Foreign Ministry.

    Just several weeks ago, the GTF/BTF posted photographs and a statement announcing the discussion at the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry in Colombo, between the GTF-BTF’s Fr. Emmanuel and the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and his closest comrade-in-arms.

    Now we come to the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) whose logo accompanies the statement of the ten Tamil Diaspora organizations. The TNA is supposed to be the “moderate” Tamil nationalist party. If this is Tamil moderation, one can well imagine what Tamil radicalism is like.

    Whether or not the TNA logo at the bottom of the letter refers only to its UK branch (it does not say so), the results of the election and the TNA’s political behavior including the boycott by Mr. Sampanthan of our 70th Independence celebrations, show a yawning and growing gap which is perhaps unbridgeable.

    The TNA is the Yahapalana government’s chosen Opposition. The Government chose the TNA with its 16 seats over Mahinda Rajapaksa and Dinesh Gunawardena’s Joint Opposition with its 50 plus seats, as the official Parliamentary Opposition.

    The TNA chose to reciprocate this unwarranted and illegitimate generosity by pushing the government and the country for a new constitution instead of greater autonomy within the existing one, adding insult to injury by pushing for Geneva–driven accountability with an international aspect or component. The results of the Local Government election show the complete rejection of the Government’s West-backed or designed political experiment.

    The Government’s pro-Western elitist minoritarianism has been decisively rejected at this election. On the one hand, the election result is a massive populist protest vote; a majoritarian backlash against liberal elitist cosmopolitanism. On the other hand, the mood of the largest minority, the Tamils living in and outside Sri Lanka, has become less accommodating and pragmatic, more unrealistic, militant and obdurate.

    The nonsensical attempt at a new Constitution, killing off the unitary state, is itself now dead in the water. The Ranil-Mangala-Chandrika-Sumanthiran project, backed by the West, has been decisively defeated. The West’s allies have been crushed, leaving it with its traditional clients, the Tamils.

    The Tamil nationalists’ allies, the UNP and Chandrika’s SLFP have lost. Even more so, the apt responses of UNP ‘Young Turks’ Navin Dissanayake and Ruwan Wijewardene to the issue of Brigadier Fernando show that not only have the Tamil nationalists’ Southern allies lost but that the Tamil nationalists have lost the support of their Southern allies. Similarly, the Southern liberals are no longer in any position to negotiate with the Tamils. They need to first renegotiate their political viability with the Sinhalese, including their own voters.

    The 70th Independence Day behavior and the London affair show that Tamil sentiment is so far out on a limb that no deal seems possible with any Southern partner, be it the incoming SLPP, the struggling Government or the JVP. Having damaged their UNP-SLFP partners by putting them out of reach of their own Sinhala voters, and with a rather more nationalist-populist SLPP on the march, the Tamil nationalists no longer have any Southern partner. There are no Southern takers for the new Constitution, still less a new Constitution and the implementation of the Geneva resolution on accountability. There is no deal on the table, except perhaps for the one that was always there: a modest rectification and upgrade of really existing devolution. That too may be off the table at the moment and for the moment, i.e. not because of substance but timing. The time for a deal even on adjusting existing autonomy arrangements may have passed.

    Reason dictates that the Tamil mainstream regards as its Southern partner or prospective partner, that political entity and personality most likely to form the next administration, in 2019-2020. That would mean entering serious negotiations on a basis that won’t be laughed out of court by the incoming national political formation and resisted by its vote base. The problem is that logic and reason have vacated the Tamil nationalist political space quite some time ago.

    The vast majority of the country’s citizens, living in the bulk of the island and decisive in the matter of state power at the center, have gone one way; Tamil nationalist politics the other. One movement is clockwise, the other, counter-clockwise. The election is over, but Sri Lanka’s Long Crisis continues.

  105. Fran Diaz Says:

    Do the Systems in place work properly to govern a country ?
    If Lanka is in so much trouble, some of the Systems must be very wrong, ins’t it ?

    Where the govt is the chief employer, they have to mechanise labor tasks that are hard, and alllow co-ops to operate too.
    FTZs, many of them, will serve their purpose in the Economy, plus create Jobs.

    It is the People who have to work together at every level to make sure that the Country is kept intact and does not fall into pieces, to enable RW to do his ‘Crash & Sell’ program.

    We agree that RW ought to resign – he was never elected to be Exec PM by the People.

  106. Ananda-USA Says:

    Our PARA-GATHI AGA-MATHI has visited our PANA-NATHI JANA-PATHI for a heart-to-heart post-election chat today.

    In reply to the Appaya’s question of “Mokada A[pita Wunay” the BIG-THIEF’s reply had been “Mama Danney Naha”, “Heta paththaray enakal balagena innawa” !

    It is also rumored that they had “Badagenay Kandulu Hela-Hela Anduwa” session completely wetting two separate bath towels.

    More seriously, does anyone have an inside scoop on “Mokada Wuney Meetimey”?

  107. Ananda-USA Says:

    This ABSOLUTELY WRONG DECISION by Sirisena and Wickramasinghe that IGNORES PUBLIC SENTIMENT expressed by the recent election results will guarantee a TOTAL BREAKDOWN of GOVERNANCE in Sri Lanka, and MASSIVE CIVIL STRIFE if the Yamapalanaya CONTINUES their current ANTI-NATIONAL POLICIES in the next two years.

    …………………………………
    Sri Lankan leaders agree to continue the unity government till 2020
    Mon, Feb 12, 2018, 09:20 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

    Feb 12, Colombo: The majority party of the Sri Lanka’s government, United National Party, has agreed to continue the coalintion government formed with the Sri Lanka Freedom party under the leadership of President Maithripala Sirisena until 2020 when the President’s term expires.

    This decision taken by the majority party is to be informed to the leaders of all parties of the United National Front government.

    Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has taken the decision when he met with President Maithripala Sirisena for discussions yesterday evening (11).

    Prior to the meeting with the President, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe held discussions with the senior members of the UNP at the Temple Trees yesterday afternoon, after the elections results of the Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas were released.

    During the meeting with the UNP seniors, a decision was taken to continue with the unity government headed by President Sirisena until 2020.

    Focusing on the message delivered by the people to the government through the Local Government Elections held Saturday (10) during the meeting, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided to make a number of positive changes in the right direction to correct the situation in the next few days.

    It was discussed at length on issues relating to high cost of living, unemployment, curtailing corruption and fraud.

  108. Ananda-USA Says:

    The above ANNOUNCEMENT CONFIRMS what I had PREVIOUSLY PREDICTED will happen in the next two years:

    1. ACCELERATED persecution of leaders of the previous government and the SLPP on FRIVOLOUS CHARGES. NO ACTION on PROSECUTING the CROOKS of the Yamapalanaya inckluding the CHIEF CROOK who masterminded the Bond Scam, Ranil Wickramasinghe himself.

    2. ACCELERATED pursuit of a New Federal Constitution that will divide Sri Lanka into Ethno-Religious Bantustans.

    3. ACCELERATED demonization and prosecution of defence forces and intelligence services personnel, dismantling amnd removing defence forces BASES in the North and East and EMPOWERING the Separatists.

    4. ACCELERATED alienation of National Assets to foreign companies, individuals and governments.

    5. ACCELERATED signing of Agreements which will FLOOD Sri Lanka with workers from India, China and other countries such as neighboring Muslim nations including the Maldives.

    6. ACCELERATED granting of legal rights to foreign NGO’s to operate within Sri Lanka, convert our majority Buddhist citizens to other faiths, and help to create a strong 5th column that will help them hold onto power in 2019 and 2020 elections.

    7. ENABLE Yamapalana politicians and their families, friends and associates to TRANSFER FUNDS, obtained by selling National Assets including land and buildings to foreigners, to create GOLDEN PARACHUTES in SAFE HAVENS ABROAD for use when they will have to FLEE Sri Lanka when they are FINALLY THROWN OUT OF POWER by the majority of PATRIOTIC citizens of Sri Lanka.

    HANGING ONTO POWER by HOOK or by CROOK is ESSENTIAL for the YAMAPALANA KALLIYA, to give them the TIME REQUIRED to achieve the ANTI-NATIONAL SELF-SERVING GOALS identified above.

    That is the TRUE MEANING of the DECISION to CONTINUE that Sirisena and Ranil took at their MEETING TODAY.

  109. Lorenzo Says:

    Funny logic from DK. So MR should NOT takeover PM post fearing failure!!

    Thank god you are not a CRICKET SELECTOR. Otherwise you will carefully keep the BEST BATSMAN and BEST BOWLER in the pavillion until the team reaches the WC FINAL. How can you come to the final without winning along the way which requires your BEST PLAYERS?

    I challenge MR to accept the PM post and DO BETTER IF he can. The country BADLY needs him acording to SLPP voters.

    IF he does NOT accept the PM post he will be PROSECUTED by an ANGRY SIRISENA who has passed his tolerance limit. MUSTAFA will only release funds for PSs IF AND ONLY IF they support SLFP. They will LEAVE MR in droves for money. Don’t forget what happened to Fonseka’s party, Vijaya’s party, Siddarthan’s party, etc. after they spent their honeymoon in HOTEL DE WELIKADE.

    So come out MR and takeover the PM post. Show the world you can do better IF you can.

  110. Ananda-USA Says:

    In a DEMOCRACY leaders RESIGN when it is DEMONSTRATED that they have lost the confidence of the voters.

    Even the SUDU SUDDA David Cameron, the PM of Britain, RESIGNED when the BREXIT referendum that he supported FAILED. He IMMEDIATELY went home!

    Yet, his bosom pal the KALU SUDDA Ranil Wikunanasinghe is CONSPIRING to DESPARATELY HANG ON after he has been CONVINCINGLY DEFEATED at the POLLS by a HUGE MARGIN!

    Are we to CONCLUDE that this PARAGON of Western Democratic Principles now wants to TRANSFORM the Sri Lankan DEMOCRACY into a rank DICTATORSHIP??

    My GOD, how EASILY his much balleyhooed holier-than-thou PRINCIPLES are SUMMARILY ABANDONED when his own narrow interests, and his own SCRAWNY NECK to boot, are at STAKE!

    Bah, BLOODY HYPOCRITE!

  111. Ananda-USA Says:

    So what the F***K does”I will take full responsibility” mean if Sirisena has agreed with Wickramasinghe to CONTINUE the Yamapalana government??

    Devious DECEITFUL Promises SIGNIFYING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

    …………………………………….
    I take full responsibility: President

    DailyMirror.lk
    2018-02-12 06:28:05

    President Maithripala Sirisena has told SLFP ministers who met him yesterday that he would introduce far reaching changes to the government following the LG polls results in the days to come.

    “I take full responsibility for the SLFP’s electoral setback. The people of the country have voted for a change and I will respond positively to their message and introduce necessary changes accordingly as soon as possible,” President Sirisena has reportedly told the ministers. (Sandun A Jayasekera)

  112. Ananda-USA Says:

    Rajitha Senaratne is UP TO his OLD TRICKS AGAIN: Spinning Falsehoods amounting to Finer Invisible Clothes for the Naked Emperor

    What RAJITHAYA has STILL NOT LEARNED, and the Yamapalakayo will NEVER LEARN, is that the VOTERS NOW BELIEVE that the Yamapalanaya is the SOURCE of MORE & GREATER CORRUPTION & FRAUD than those which they PROMISED to CORRECT if ELECTED!

    The VOTERS VERDICT is both CLEAR & SIMPLE: GO HOME YAMAPALAKAYO … WE SIMPLY DON’T TRUST YOU; YOU are FAR WORSE than those you REPLACED!

    ………………………….
    No need for the government to resign – Minister Rajitha Senaratne
    Mon, Feb 12, 2018, 11:58 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

    Feb 12, Colombo: No need has emerged for the government to resign or change the Prime Minister, Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Dr. Rajith Senaratne says,

    Speaking to the state media about the political situation following the defeat of the ruling coalition at local government polls, the Minister said President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe held discussions on the election results.

    “Both of them agreed to rectify the shortcomings in the government and move forward,” the Minister said.

    The dream to win local government elections and become prime minister or for a general election will not become a reality, the Minister said.

    He emphasized that neither the Sri Lanka Freedom Party nor the United National Party has yet proposed to appoint the former President as the Prime Minister.

    “The present government has been given the mandate in 2015 to eliminate corruption and fraud. Good governance government leaders have come to an agreement to continue it.,” Minister Senaratne said.

    “We are still in the struggle to fulfill people’s expectations according to the mandate given to us,” he said.

    Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa meanwhile called on the government to dissolve the parliament and hold a fresh general election.

  113. Fran Diaz Says:

    After the war against the terrorism was won, the Economic needs loomed large.
    The MR govt was doing better in that field too, inspite of foreign disapproval of Lanka going to China for economic help.
    Now even the august UNP and the illustrious Int Community are going to China for economic help !
    China is INDIA’s largest Trade Partner.
    What rubbishy lies were used against the MR govt to oust them !

    We must conclude that there was hatched the “Crash & Sell Lanka’ Plan for RW to carry out, and hence the ousting of the MR govt.
    Besides all that, the political yakkos (pocket stuffers) from the MR govt are now in Unity govt !

    So take your pick :

    MR plus PATRIOTS for PATRIOTIC governance,
    or a dismembered Lanka, back to Colonisation, and the Economy down the hill forever with the RW camp !

  114. Ananda-USA Says:

    THIS IS GOOD! Then NO DECISION has been made by the President and the PM at their meeting to CONTINUE the Yamapalanaya UNCHANGED!

    If Sirisena has an IOTA of BRAIN CELLS, he will DITCH the UNP and Ranil, and EMBRACE the SLPP and MR, IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST!

    ……………………………..
    President denies discussing future direction of government with PM
    Mon, Feb 12, 2018, 08:24 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

    Feb 12, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena has denied that he discussed the future of the unity government with the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

    Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and President Maithripala Sirisena have not discussed the future political affairs after the local government polls, the President’s Media Unit said in a statement. The announcement states that some media reports have been incorrect about such a meeting.

    Local media reported that the President and the Prime Minister agreed to continue to the unity government till 2020 during their meeting on Sunday.

    Notice issued by the President’s Media Unit –

    Various views have been expressed in certain media agreements said to have been made between Prime Minister Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe after the Local Government Election.

    As there had been no decision or agreement on gaining control of local bodies or the future direction of the government, media reports to that effect are rejected.

  115. Ananda-USA Says:

    Friends,

    All of the Election Results are now available at the Govt Website: https://election.news.lk

  116. Ananda-USA Says:

    Let us HOPE & PRAY that ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the SLPP leadership will be able to CONVINCE the current President Sirisena to hold the General Election EARLY, perhaps together with an EARLY Presidential Election.

    I agree with MR, that the Sirisena we know will not be able to RISE ABOVE his Personal Interest and his Paranoid Fears to do what is BEST FOR the NATION! Lost Opportunities for RECONCILIATION of the SLPP, SLFP and the UPFA abound, but they will be wasted because of HATRED and GREED.

    By all indications to date, INSTABILITY & CONFUSION will REIGN in Sri Lanka in the NEAR TERM with Sirisena and Ranil desperately trying to hang onto power, through every trick in the book.

    But, they MISCALCULATE the MOOD of the citizens of Sri Lanka, who have PATIENTLY waited for this LONG-DELAYED ELECTION to make their DISPLEASURE known; they WILL NOT ACCEPT ANYTHING LESS than STRICT COMPLIANCE by the government to their DEMANDS.

    Yamapalanaya, You have SOWN the WIND with HATRED; Now REAP the WHIRLWIND of VOTER ANGER if you do not COMPLY!

    ………………………………….
    MR calls for early general election

    Island.lk
    February 12, 2018, 11:03 pm

    By Maheesha Mudugamuwa

    Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday called on President Maithripala Sirisena to ensure that Parliament was dissolved immediately and a general election held to end the current political instability.

    Addressing a special media briefing at Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) headquarters in Battaramulla, former President Rajapaksa said the present government had no moral right to be in power as it was clear that people were no longer with it and they had rejected its economic policies as well.

    Rajapaksa said the SLPP’s victory at the just concluded local government elections was historic as it was achieved within a short period of time since the formation of the new party.

    Commenting on the government’s election campaign, Rajapaksa said it was a hate campaign aimed at mudslinging against the previous government and added that the SLPP had been able to win 232 councils while the other two main political parties suffered heavy defeats.

    Rajapaksa further noted that the a general election should be held in 2019.

    Asked whether he would accept the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) leadership if offered, former President Rajapaksa said he would definitely accept it. “But, the Sirisena I know will never offer it,” he said.

    The former President was of the opinion that one of the most serious issues was that the government took “revenge” on the soldiers who had fought against the LTTE.

    He said the Joint Opposition (JO) would not resort to conspiracies to grab power and it would secure power in a democratic manner.

    Responding to a query, he stressed that even though the leadership of the SLFP and UNP had decided to control some local government bodies, the people at ground level would not allow that to happen against their will.

    People had rejected the government and the just concluded LG polls had been a referendum on the government’s performance, Rajapaksa said.

    The media briefing was attended by Prof. G. L Peiris, SLPP Chairman, MP Wimal Weerawansa, MP Bandula Gunawardena, MP Udaya Gammanpila and several other key members of the JO.

  117. Dilrook Says:

    A general election cannot be held in 2019. That is against the Constitution as amended by 19A. It can only be held after February 17, 2020.

    But it is a clever demand by Mahinda. His party cannot win a presidential election (50% required) alone and it has no friends. However, the Swan Alliance (which contested presidential elections since 2010) has more than 50% already (to be precise 53% now). If a presidential election is held now or soon, they will win once again. Minority votes matter very much in a presidential election.

    However, SLPP can form a working majority government if parliamentary elections are held first. Every district has bonus seats. CWC, SLMC and ACMC join the largest party after the election, further boosting it. Minority votes go to TNA, etc. and not to the UNP.

    Mahinda’s demand also displays SLPP’s inability to win a presidential election in 2019 which requires 50%.

  118. Ananda-USA Says:

    BREAKING NEWS, NEWS, NEWS!

    Many members of the UPFA elected to various Local Government entities around the country HAVE EXPRESSED SUPPORT for the SLPP.

    As such, the total number of Local Government Entities controlled by the SLPP has INCREASED from the ORIGINAL 231 to 239 at the last count reported on TV news.

    No doubt, many more will join the SLPP in the near future! The post-election FENCE JUMPING has begun in EARNEST and will only ACCELERATE!

    JAYAWEWA …. Pohottuwa!

  119. Ananda-USA Says:

    If you have been watching the News Channels, there is a beehive of ACTIVITY within the SLFP and UNP parts of the Yamapalanaya, ALL geared to AVOIDING stepping aside for the SLPP as the VOTERS want, and to form a CARETAKER Govt until a General Election can be held.

    So, lets look at the existing situation to UNDERSTAND WHY:

    1. MR has said he does not the post of PM offered by MS without the mandate of a New General Election

    2. UNP wants to create a UNP-ONLY government but is short of 7 MPs to get the required 50% majority in Parliament

    3. JVP has REFUSED to join a UNP-led or JO-led Govt

    4. MS has said he will not accept as Ministers any SLFP/UPFA individuals who join an ONLY-UNP-led Government

    5. The TNA with its16 MPs is remaining non-committal until requested by some major Party to be the kingmaker.

    The Party composition of MPs in the current Parliament is as follows:

    UNP 106
    JO 52
    UPFA/SLFP 43
    TNA 16
    JVP 6
    EPDP 1
    SLMC 1

    TOTAL 225

    Without ministerial portfolios no UPFA/SLFP-ers will join ANY Govt, because MS refuses to accept them as Ministers.

    So, the ONLY WAY the UNP can reach the required number of 113 MPs is to form an ALLIANCE with the TNA!

    However, that will be DEATH for the UNP in future Elections because Sinhala people will see that as the ULTIMATE TREACHERY and CULMINATION of Yamapalana efforts to Federalize Sri Lanka through a New Constitution.

    The JO cannot form a Govt with 113 MPs, because JO(52)+UPFA(43)+EPDP(1)+SLMC(1) seats add up to only 97 seats.

    That may be why SLPP/MR wants a New General Election to win a sufficient number of Parliamentary seats without accepting, even if were possible, the JVP and the TNA as allies.

  120. Ananda-USA Says:

    Meanwhile, the Instability of the Yamapalanaya post Local Govt Election has drawn the attention of the US and Indian Govts.

    It has been reported that the US and Indian Ambassadors have met with President Sirisena, and have ADVISED HIM to CONTINUE the Yamapalana Govt and its political program, NO DOUBT for the BENEFIT of their countries!!

    Now, it appears that post-election politics of Sri Lanka have been INTERNATIONALIZED!

    Also, it has been reported that Subramaniam Swamy, former Cabinet Minister of India, has RECOMMENDED that ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa be again allowed to become the President of Sri Lanka!

    We STABBED OURSELVES in the BELLY sometime ago and BLOCKED that particular route to SALVATION!

    A PAINFULLY OBVIOUS IDEA, but unfortunately it cannot be done without REVISING the19th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution!

  121. Ananda-USA Says:

    Any Govt that does not have ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa as PM is NOT ACCEPTABLE to the majority of Voters who DELIVERED that VERDICT on Feb 10, 2018.

    The Nulum Pohottuwa that BLOOMED on that MEMORABLE DAY is Mahinda Rajapaksa, and Mahinda Rajapaksa is the Nelum Pohottuwa!

    However, as a CARETAKER Govt until General Elections are called EARLY as Mahinda/SLPP had demanded, this is PREFERRED compared to CONTINUED governance by the Yamapalanaya or the UNP-ONLY.

    What is IMPORTANT to realize here is that the VOTERS REJECTED the Anti-National POLICIES of the UNP-led Yamapalanaya, not just a few Yamapalana leaders, including the Prime Minister.

    Therefore, NOTHING SHORT of SWEEPING the STABLE CLEAN of the PILED-UP DUNG HEAP is SUFFICIENT. EVEN uniil a Parliamentary MANDATE is obtained through GENERAL ELECTIONS in a FEW MONTHS!

    Thank you my DEAR Sri Lankan PATRIOTS; you have DISCHARGED YOUR DUTY to DEFEND and PROTECT our Resplendent Isle with COMMITTMENT that would our FOREFATHERS PROUD of YOU!

    JAWAWEWA …. DESHAPREMINI …. JAYAWEWA!

  122. Ananda-USA Says:

    As a US citizen, I can’t accept PM’s post: Gota

    Island.lk
    2018-02-13 07:04:26

    Former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who returned yesterday to Sri Lanka from the US, said he could not accept the Prime Ministerial portfolio because he was an American citizen.

    He said this when asked by the journalists at the Airport whether he would accept the Post of Prime Minister if it was offered by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

    “I can’t. I am an American citizen. So I cannot accept that portfolio. Besides, who wants to become a Prime Minister in a scenario such as what exists today,” he said and added that he had still not decided to enter politics.

    Commenting on the results of local government elections, he said everyone has come to realize former president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s value.

    “He made a great contribution to the country. Some people were misled about his achievements. After three years, they have realised that they have been misled. Therefore, people have shown that they need a Mahinda Rajapaksa administration,” the former defence secretary said.

    When asked about any of former president’s political decisions, the former defence secretary said it was up to the former president.

    Meanwhile, he rejected the allegations levelled against him on the Avant Garde issue by the Presidential Commission.

    “There is nothing new about these allegations. The Commission does not even know what Avant Garde is,” Mr. Rajapaksa said. (Lahiru Pothmulla)

  123. Ananda-USA Says:

    UPFA refuses to be in a Govt. under Ranil: Dilan

    Island.lk
    2018-02-13 19:16:04

    State Minister Dilan Perera said the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) had informed President Maithripala Sirisena that they refused to remain in a government led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

    Speaking to Daily Mirror, the State Minister said people’s mandate had been given against Premier Wickremesinghe’s administration.

    He also said discussions were ongoing regarding future political situation. (Lahiru Pothmulla)

  124. Ananda-USA Says:

    Hung LG bodies cause headache for political parties

    Island.lk
    February 13, 2018, 11:05 pm

    Executive Director of Transparency International Sri Lanka Asoka Obesekere has warned of political turmoil for want of a particular party gaining absolute majority in about 160 local government bodies at just concluded local government polls.

    Countrywide elections were held for 340 local government bodies. Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha is the only exception due to a court directive.

    Obesekere asserted that those having the majority in hung local government bodies would find it difficult to secure required support to form an administration.

    Obesekera said so in response to a query from Shameer Rasooldeen, on Face the Nation (FTN) live on TV 1 Monday night. The panel comprised attorney-at-law Chrishmal Warnasuriya, defeated UPFA Colombo district mayoral candidate Azath Salley and News Editor of The Island Shamindra Ferdinando. In addition to Rasooldeen, Nadim Majeed and Charitha Fernando posed questions with Salley blaming Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the UNP for Saturday’s devastating defeat.

    “Nobody expected this,” a disappointed Salley said, demanding that Wickremesinghe quit the party leadership as well as the premiership. The former UNPer claimed that the SLFP parliamentary group and a sizeable section of the UNP parliamentary group wanted Wickremesinghe removed immediately.

    Salley blamed Wickremesinghe and his close associates, including Minister Malik Samarawickrema for treasury bond scams, involving perpetual treasuries limited.

    But, it was pointed out to Salley that the second far bigger treasury bond scam could have been averted had President Maithripala Sirisena not dissolved parliament in June 2015 to save those who had perpetrated the first treasury bond scam. Salley was also told that the SLFP group in yahapalana government couldn’t disassociate itself from the three-year administration and the government never realized its folly in humiliating the armed forces by way of co-sponsoring Geneva Resolution 30/1 meant to establish hybrid war crimes court.

    Salley found fault with President Sirisena for not acting swiftly and decisively to rein in the UNP.

    Referring to ongoing efforts to reach agreement in respect of leadership in hung councils, Salley said that heads were to be elected in secret vote. However, Obesekere said that in accordance with Local Authorities Election Ordinance it was to be an open vote.

    Obeysekera said that there were 177 local government bodies with a particular party having the majority.

    Warnasuriya disputed the assertion that 2015 mandate had been overridden by outcome at Feb. 10 poll. Warnasuriya, who had been on the JVP National List at the last parliamentary poll, explained how the breakup of UNP-SLFP alliance would result in restriction on the number of ministers in accordance with the 19thAmendment to the Constitution.

    In response to a query, a panelist asserted that no one should find fault with former President Rajapaksa for entering parliament from Kurunegala district when twice president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga ended up being Attanagalle SLFP organizer. The FTN was also told now that Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) had comfortably secured LG poll, the outfit under Rajapaksa’s leadership could contest forthcoming Provincial Council polls followed by presidential and parliamentary elections.

    North Central, North Western and Northern Provincial Councils will be automatically dissolved on Oct 8, 10 and 24, 2018, respectively. Southern, Western and Uva Provincial Councils will be automatically dissolved on April 10, April 21 and Oct. 8, 2019, respectively.

    Salley alleged that there had been a secret deal between Rajapaksa and Wickremesinghe that caused debilitating setback to yahapalana administration.

    Responding to another query, Salley admitted that though he had been defeated at Feb. 10 polls, there was provision for those who were rejected to receive appointments through party lists. Salley said that he hadn’t so far decided whether to enter the CMC. Having had acknowledged his disappointment over losing the battle for Colombo, Salley expressed confidence the ongoing efforts to oust the UNP leader would succeed. Salley declined to comment on who should be Wickremesinghe’s successor.

    The FTN was also told that SLPP had made significant progress thanks to government blunders beginning with the treasury bond scams in 2015 and 2016 (SF)

  125. Ananda-USA Says:

    The SPIN by ECONOMYNEXT in the article below that SLFP/UPFA’s move to form a Govt has run into Constitutional Barriers is JUST THAT: A SPIN!

    As I had stated above, the 19A DOES ALLOW the whole Cabinet to be DIS<MISSED together with its first member the PRIME MINISTER.

    There is also another report the PM has rallied his dissenting troops. That IS toubling, because a SLFP/UPFA Govt will need as many as 11 defecting UNP MPs.

    EVEN MORE TROUB:LING, is a PERPLEXING TURNAROUND by the Mahanayake's of the Malwatta and Asgiriya Chapters at this CRITICAL time in their REPORTED but unverified release advocating the continuation of the Unity Govt! See my post of the article below.

    COME ON Hamuduruweni ….. WHERE is YOUR SPINE? STICK to your GUNS that you had FIRED EARLIER in DEFENCE of our Motherland!

    ………………………………….
    Sri Lanka President-backed putsch fails as PM rallies dissidents
    Sat, Feb 17, 2018, 09:27 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

    Feb 17 (ECONOMYNEXT) A last ditch attempt by President Maithripala Sirisena to oust Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has failed due to a constitutional hurdle and more significantly the lack of parliamentary support, sources close to both sides said.

    President Sirisena had agreed to continue working with Wickremesinghe, but had a sudden change of heart on Thursday after meeting with his United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) seniors.

    The two general secretaries of the parties, ministers Mahinda Amaraweera and Susil Premajayantha told reporters that neither of them could work under Wickremesinghe and insisted that they would not be in a cabinet with him.

    The duo raised Sirisena’s hopes of forming a SLFP/UPFA government with Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva as Prime Minister. Sirisena’s

    dream of being the leader of an unadulterated UPFA/SLFP cabinet was reinforced by his nemesis Mahinda Rajapaksa pledging conditional support.

    The charismatic former president controls at least 56 members of parliament out of the 96 elected under the UPFA ticket, but even together they do not have an absolute majority of 113 seats required to constitutionally topple Wickremesinghe.

    A senior official close to Sirisena said the president had been misguided by a senior lawyer who had advised him that he had the power to sack Wickremesinghe the same way he unceremoniously dismissed D. M. Jayaratne in January 2015.

    However, he was told that the President’s power to dismiss the Prime Minister was taken away by the 19th amendment to the constitution. Some have argued that the president could sack the entire cabinet and thus the PM too would lose his job, but there is no provision to under Articles 48 (as specified in the 19th amendment) to remove the cabinet in toto.

    Aides have argued that Sirisena could have pressed ahead ignoring constitutional provisions if he had an absolute majority as in the case of Mahinda Rajapaksa who used his executive power and the huge parliamentary majority to impeach chief justice Shirani Bandarayanake in 2013 using highly questionable means. In less than three weeks into office, Sirisena’s administration in January 2015 overturned the impeachment of Bandaranayake using equally controversial means, but thanks to a steamroll majority in the House.

    Realising both the legal impediments and the lack of a parliamentary majority, the once gung-ho UPFA ministers went silent over the weekend with their efforts at a constitutional putsch backfiring and raising questions about their tenure in the National Unity government.

    UPFA general secretary and minister Amaraweera had told the president in writing that no SLFP/UPFA member, himself included, could be in a cabinet with Wickremesinghe, a sentiment articulated over national television by Premajayantha.

    While President Sirisena cancelled his meeting with senior editors on Friday, Wickremesinghe hosted senior journalists to tea at Temple Trees after a no-holds-barred press conference where he categorically declared that he will remain but with changes in his party and the cabinet.

    In sharp contrast to the president’s camp, Wickremesinghe was careful not to criticize the president or his SLFP ministers. When asked how he could have Messers Premajayantha and Amaraweera in a future cabinet, Wickremesinghe said: “It is coalition politics. We have to get used to it. It was a little difficult for everyone at the beginning, but not anymore.”

    He said the president had told him that he was spending the weekend at his home constituency of Polonnaruwa and they would discuss the composition of the new cabinet in the coming week. He expected the process of finalizing a new cabinet of ministers to take over a week.

    Parliament meets on Tuesday for the first time after the February 10 local government elections and should the UPFA and the SLFP have sufficient numbers to oust Wickremesinghe they have no impediment to submiting a no-trust resolution against the premier.

    Despite UPFA attempts to push Nimal Siripala de Silva as a successor to Wickremesinghe, the somnolent transport minister made no public comments about accepting high office. Instead, he was attending temple ceremonies and offering poojas for good luck, a source close to him said.

    Dissent within

    Shortly after the local government election results showed that Wickremesinghe’s UNP had suffered a drubbing, the premier was under pressure from within the party to step down.

    However, the final results were not as bad as initially feared and Wickremesinghe was slowly able to rally support and keep disgruntled elements under check. A party senior said he also earned sympathy from the rank and file after a private media channel went out on a limb to personally attack him.

    “The media campaign against Ranil was an overkill and many people who saw the live coverage ended up feeling that he was unfairly targeted and began to rally behind him,” the source said.

    Wickremesinghe himself told reporters on Friday that he accepted responsibility for the electoral humiliation and was carrying out a restructuring of the party. He said the leadership was in “transition without disruption” and wanted younger members to take a leading role.

    He also admitted that the fallout from the bond scandal and his government’s failure to prosecute high profile members of the previous regime accused of corruption were key factors.

    He said he had taken on board the powerful warning from the electorate and was on a course correction to swiftly deliver on electoral promises made three years ago to bring to justice those responsible for killings and corruption.

  126. Ananda-USA Says:

    AIYO Hamuduruweni … dan KANAPITA GAHANNA EPA! Apey MAUBIMEY Sinhala Bauddhayan aaraksha karanna nagapu wedikawa athahara yanna EPO!

    Mokada obawahanselata WUNEY kapapita gahanna? CHIKAY … KATHAI!

    ……………………….
    Sri Lanka’s Chief Prelates call on leaders to continue unity government and fulfill promises made to people
    Sat, Feb 17, 2018, 09:11 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

    Feb 17, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s influential Mahanayake Theras (Chief Prelates) of the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters have urged President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to promptly resolve the political crisis emerged after the local government elections without allowing the nation to be destabilized.

    The two Chief Prelates have pointed out that the government should work unitedly to take the country forward to fulfill the promises they made.

    The Mahanayake of Malwathu Chapter Most Venerable Thibbotuwawe Sri Sumangala Thera says that the Government has a responsibility to rule the country without creating confusions.

    In a letter to the President and the Prime Minister, the Chief Prelate said if the confusion resulted after the Local Government elections continued further, collapse of state administration and economic downturn are inevitable and all the parties should work unitedly to avoid such an outcome and to fulfill the promises they made to the people at the last elections.

    The Chief Prelate noted that with the outcome of the election results, the confusing, unstable, and uncertain situation emerging in the country is an obstruction to the people’s progress and well-being, as well as to unity, peace and harmony.

    The Mahanayake Thera also said that it is important to pay special attention to this situation and now it is necessary to act diligently to fulfill the promises given to the public in 2015 and at the general election. It is important to resolve the livelihood problems of the working class and the middle-class people, he emphasized.

    The Chief Prelate said the main emphasis should be on making national, religious, cultural and economic progress, as well as building peace and unity.

    Registrar of Asgiri Chapter Venerable Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thera in a statement said that they hoped for the stability, betterment of people and security of the country.

    He requested all political party leaders and groups to refrain from acting in a manner that is detrimental to the country’s stability, the economy and the country’s security.

    The Venerable Thera noted that even though more than a week has elapsed since the conclusion of the Local Authority Election there has been no change in the current political environment. He hoped that the politicians will not abuse the mandate of the people by crossovers.

    He said that President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa should be responsible in handling the current situation of the country and they have the responsibility to maintain stability in the country.

    Venerable Dammanada Thera requested the political leaders to ensure the country’s security and work towards ensuring stability.

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