BY EDWARD THEOPHILUS

According to political analysts and journalists, several candidates have named as potential aspirants for the next presidential election in Sri Lanka, which will be scheduled to hold ending 2019. The major shortcoming of such ad-hoc naming is that not a single journalist names a woman candidate and it seems that although political parties promote equality between men and women, not a single political party has promoted a female candidate for the leadership. SLFP had women leaders but UNP never had a female leader. The prospective leader of UNP (Ruwan Wijewardane) is not only male but also a strong right-wing character with capitalist ideology, however, he would be the best choice to attract the supports of Buddhists as nearly 76% of total votes of Sri Lanka consists of Sinhala Buddhists. Primarily, it should be noted that the determinants of the next presidential election are Sinhala Buddhists no other group. 

It is a widely spread secret that UNP has two choices, Mr. Karu Jayasoorya, and Mr. Sajith Premadasa, there are some hints that UNP might finally agree to continue Mr. Maithreepala Sirisena with high risk when looking at the past events. All people are risky personnel to the future leadership of UNP and Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe associated with the right-wing group may have a plan to eliminate Mr. Sajith Premadasa and Mr. Navin Dissanayake from leadership ambitions after the next presidential election and open a freeway for Mr. Ruwan Wijewardane to UNP Leadership.  Although executive authority has been the wish of Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe since 1978, the presidential position was not interested due to several reasons and the major reason was his inability to face an island-wide presidential election with conservative ideology in a society where radically promoting socialist views against feudalism. If he wanted it, he could have taken it after Mr. J.R. Jayewardene, but he was not keen on it or opted to be as he may have done a self-assessment on his abilities. There may have been a plan of the family to work a different way with a secret strategy.

Mr. Karu Jayasuriya is an old man, who has no capability to lead the country and proved that he is good for a henchman job of Western forces than an executive presidentship after incidents in October 2018 and another significant problem with his candidature is that he will be risking the plan of Mr. Wickramasinghe family for the leadership of Mr. Ruwan Wijewardane. If Mr. Karu Jayasuriya becomes the president it will be the end of hopes of Mr. Wijewardane as Mr. Karu Jayasuriya’s son in law, Mr. Navin Dissanayake would be the choice to the leadership of UNP. On this background, Mr. Wickramasinghe would not prefer to select him as the presidential candidate of UNP.

Mr. Sajith Premadasa has serious weaknesses.  The major weakness is, he is attempting to use his father’s credibility as his work than showing his abilities and demonstrating his work and skills. Who would regard Mr. Sajith Premadasa as a good policy man in the modern electronic era for building few houses like matches boxes? If he wants to be the hero of poor people, he should fundamentally work to eliminate poverty and the policy process would support to society without poor.  Did he do such a vigorous policy action?  Mr. Ranasinghe Premadasa had a humble beginning and excellent experience working with Mr. Gunasinghe and understood how to work with poor and attract popularity.  As a Deputy Minister in Dudley Senanayake government in 1965 showed colors and actively participated in the 1977 election campaign, he attracted excellent popularity to become president after Mr. J.R. Jayewardene.  During his childhood, Mr. Sajith Premadasa misused the resources of the London branch of Bank of Ceylon and his mother and his sister have so corrupt past.  They are highly negative points for attracting votes. Mr. Sajith Premadasa cannot just become Mr. Ranasinghe Premadasa Sr, just taking over his father’s work to his name.

According to news reports his own work has tremendous faults. He is working in Hambantota living a luxury life in Colombo and there are jokes about his behavior and work, if a supporter is tall, he would be suitable for a security job and if the supporter is shorter, he would be a laborer.  It reflects the stupid attitudes and thinking pattern of Mr. Sajith Premadasa as he doesn’t understand how to determine the knowledge, skills, experience, and qualities of the person considering for employment.   He has no understanding of foreign policy and relations (may be expecting to use the service of Dr. Dayan Jayatilake) and he has not expressed how he is going to reconcile the relations between India and China. This is a significant criterion for attracting votes.

Mr. Sajith Premadasa is also a threat to the dream of Wickramasinghe – Wijewardane family regarding the leadership of UNP.  If Mr. Sajith Premadasa becomes the president of Sri Lanka it would be the end of the future of Mr. Ruwan Wijewardane, like Senior Premadasa id in the past, Sajith will eliminate all roots of Wickramasinghe – Wijewardane family. Based on points discussed above neither Mr. Karu Jayasuriya not Mr. Sajith Premadasa would not gain the blessing of Mr. Wickramasinghe to be UNP candidate for the next presidential election. Most probably, the preference of UNP would be to Mr. Sirisena with UNP and SLFP coalition.

Some people believe that Current president Mr. Sirisena would be a candidate. It is highly unlikely due to several reasons. After winning in 2015, he publicly stated that he will not contest the next presidential election and if he breaks the promise, people would like to vote for him. It would be a major point in the election campaign.  He cannot attract votes from minority communities and religions as he broke the promises given originally to them. The work of controlling illicit drug is a part of the duty of the forces and the president has taken the job into his has and shows that he attempts to get a credit of the role.  Sri Lanka has fundamental economic, political, social and cultural issues and how he is going solve such problems, his nature id pushing the problems to educated people and bureaucrats, however, people expect how he is going to give leadership.  He also cannot get the support of SLPP and he will be subject to lose from a large sum of votes than the defeat Mr. Rajapaksa in 2015.

The unconfirmed reports in Sri Lanka state that Mr. Kumar Sangakkara would be a candidate, despite he denial as he has been a popular Cricket player in the country and some corrupt politicians and TNA groups promote him purely advantage of them.  Mr. Sangakkara cannot be compared to Mr. Imran Khan due to several reasons, Mr. Imran Khan showed his totalitarian attitudes as a cricket captain and he is a character that possible to go to own targets and Pakistan Military preferred him as a leader and Mr. Imran Khan has been in Pakistan controversial politics for a long period. His dictatorship attitudes were criticized in Australia when he was playing for the World Cup.  Has Mr. Sangakkara such attitudes and would people of Sri Lanka be agreed with a person, who has dictatorship attitudes and helpful corrupt people? What is his plan political, economic, social and cultural plan?  He might be an ideal candidate for henchman duties of Western countries.

Mr. Sangakkara has not been gained experience in Civil or Military duty in Sri Lanka and what are his attitudes toward the economy, political and social issues. Does he agree with a new constitution and federalism betraying majority voters (76%) in the country for less than 12% of Tamil votes?  Can he give leadership for cabinet minister like crabs? These are issues in relation to the candidature of Mr. Kumar Sangakkara.    

Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa has popular support from SLPP, SLFP, UNP and Minor parties.  He also has strong support from Sinhala Buddhists and Sinhala Christians.  He has experience as  Military personnel and Civil administrator.  He also has experience in international politics and he contributed to the Rajapaksa regime as a policy man and his attitudes toward the economy, politics, culture, and religion are appreciated by people of Sri Lanka.

However, what is his policy toward the current issues in the country?  He has already expressed his views on modernization.  However, he needs to show his qualities as a public figure. The candidature of Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa is no threat to Mr. Wickremasinghe’s plan for the leadership of UNP.