By Gomin Dayasri

One has to lose – other has to win, to say the obvious. Who’s going to be the fall guy – Ranil or Mahinda – in electing the Lord of the Throne for the Negatives? Picking the loser is less onerous task than the winner. Two defeated old codgers closing on seventy need a wake up call, being out of touch with reality. A match is on…crowds are bussed….song and dance… applause is orchestrated; we go through the stupid motions that is no longer exciting except for the performers on stage. Geek is the term, young generation refer to such silly festivity. It enthuses the party workers, if at all, and sourpuss for others.

New names, new face evinces an interest. Scroll down the candidates’ lists…. uninspiring names where posters feature photos of a youthful past and the image of a sordid present. Deception begins from the poster onwards. Serves us right for living amongst muck.

Neither can afford to lose –a twice trounced Mahinda, war hero in the past tense, will slide down several pegs and find being targeted by a pack of blood thirsty hounds cut loose to hunt his cronies ill gotten funds. Next time only the ineffective Attorney General’s department will save them. Even an election will not rejuvenate these lawyers as they have careers to be safeguarded in revolving times.

Recurring loser Ranil, kept democratic traditions alive notwithstanding repeated defeats, will have to hide in shame after Sirisena won the event in comfort. Otherwise it is further proof of an established habitual loser –not the way to end a remarkable career.

Style of governance of the UNP has not reached expectations it held out- if defeated; the root cause is churning reams of false pretense. Facebook Society treats both sides with disdain after anchoring Sirisena previously. Ranil needlessly had to follow Sirisena, whereas he should have been leading upfront, if he dared to contest. Boy, he is got a phobia of losing otherwise he would have been reigning as the President. With a lackluster performance he may not able to retain premiership. For Mahinda without the State to prop him is unable to navigate a take off. Is his address in Mean Street?

Whoever loses, this result is going to lead to a night of sharpening the carving knives- many will desert to the other side in search of unjust enrichment. Election results looks distorted when the portfolios are offered.

Supporters deem it a lap of honor while others deem it the final lap. To the faithful, their leaders will linger in their minds affectionately due to the uninterrupted unstinted support extended to the UNP/SLFP in days good or bad.

Who ever looses, Sirisena will have a wry smile that will soon break out into a chuckle. Why? Polonnaruwa Lad outsmarted two giant political parties between bouts of egg hoppers and red rice. Made them grovel before him for a fleeting moment.

Sirisena holds a unique position. A President elected by the people with the help of the UNP; thereupon anointed as the party President by the SLFP- he reached the zenith of his power. Enjoys the immense interim powers of an executive President, much of the honors denied to his successors, conferred on him exclusively for his term by a tailor made constitution. Balancing delicately perched on two stools the day he falls, may not find a leg to stand.

History will fault the Rasputin sect of monks for engineering a constitution that will disorient a nation to usher an Elam. This constitution is geared to support weak governments that have to carry on with all its infirmities for 52 months compulsively while the country bleeds. Doors are closed for elections for four years and six months.

Saffron peril has killed democracy at conception. How can they govern for four and a half years if a hung parliament emerges, a likely eventuality. Monks have a important place in society but not take on the task of constitution making and look giddy.

Rajapakse overrated his populist tendencies to suffer grim consequences: a reality check would not have been called for, if he retired gracefully at the end of term two to lead a resplendent life as an respected elder statesman who cleansed the country of dreaded terrorism. He would have been among the untouchables in life and a legend in local politics. Loosing the third without thinking twice and contesting for the fourth time he could look a lesser mortal. This election comes too early for Rajapakse’s comfort.

Ranil suffers from an impaired diffident complex: dodged contesting Presidency twice in fear of losing having lost elections too often, still would have gathered more votes than Fonseka and Sirisena to become the President in 2015- not 2010. Now in Round Two of 2015 – it may not to be and may never be – after another dismal performance of governance.

An untried Ranil is stronger than a tried Ranil with an assortment of’ Sirisena’s farm hands in the cabinet. Why were they assembled if that weakened the UNP? To enable Sirisena to remain supremely alive in the SLFP! That was not to be. Today, most stand to a man with Mahinda to fight the UNP. Tomorrow some of them may be in a UNP cabinet via Sirisena to destabilize another UNP administration. This election comes too late for Ranil’s well being. Procrastination made him the reluctant candidate for a job that was truly his: functioning in a lesser role ineffectively might find him demoted to his former assignment.

Hocus – pocus man says there is a weird barometer reading to determine which side is loosing? In a nutshell it is to determine for whom is the former Chief Justice now a political operator Sarath Silva working? I am no believer of this mumbo-jumbo but that guy takes it in his stride all his aberrations in his lust for a position.

This is an election where all may fall, except for the JVP that survives on account of the hollowness of the other contestants. It’s a temporary rise that will make them effective for a short term while the two senior parties will surge again, primarily because of their democratic ideals if captained by a new leader. Remember the mystery of a virtually unknown man who became the President.

The most significant factor in the coming election is that the Northern vote reigns in the province only and cannot extend its influence elsewhere unlike at a presidential election.

We are in or a hard day’s night – whoever wins. Who cares except those whose lives will be better or worse after the result and work towards it?