Point of View

CWC, SLMC no more a decisive factor

by T. Chandrasekera

Ceylon Workers' Congress and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, unlike during the time of their founders Saumyamoorthy Thondaman and M.H.M. Ashraff are no more decisive factors, as far as Sri Lankan Elections are concerned.

Conditions are different today. The late Saumyamoorthy Thondaman became popular among the Estate Tamils for winning the rightful place for them against a multitude of odds that had reduced the estate workers of Indian origin to slavery.

Saumyamoorthy Thondaman achieved these successes only after releasing himself from the UNP grip after the 1994 General Election when he joined the People's Alliance Government. During this period Arumugam Thondaman who is the grandson of Saumyamoorthy Thondaman came to the island to join his grandfather in politics.

The late Saumyamoorthy Thondaman considered the CWC as his family legacy and prepared Arumugam Thondaman to take the leadership after him. It resulted in dissension in the CWC under the protest of several seniors in the party such as S. Sathasivam, T.V. Sennan, Rajaratnam and P.P. Devaraj who broke away from the party.

After the demise of Saumyamoorthy Thondaman, his grandson Arumugam took over the party leadership. He gave places to people of his choice. They were playboys who were responsible for the drastic drop of membership in the party.

It is alleged that he spent party funds lavishly. Thus the CWC lost its popularity among the estate workers.

Similarly, the late Minister M.H.M. Ashraff founded the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress to unite the Muslim community to fight against the discrimination they suffered under the UNP regime. The SLMC produced a large number of Muslim leaders.

Subsequent to his demise, Hakeem who succeeded him used the party to meet his personal ends and a large number of seniors in the party broke away. Under the present conditions the SLMC could hardly secure two seats in a Parliamentary election.

Against this backdrop it is foolish to think that the joint support of the CWC and the SLMC could sway the scale in favour of Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Election.

The outcome of the 2004 April General Election is helpful to deduce the results of the pending Presidential Election.

In that General Election, the United People's Freedom Alliance polled 45.60 per cent of the total votes.

The UNP, with the support of the CWC and SLMC except in the Eastern Province could poll only 37.83 per cent.

This time the Jathika Hela Urumaya which scored 5.97 per cent at the 2004 April Election is with the UPFA. In the East three MPs who entered Parliament under the SLMC ticket have decided to support Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse.

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and the Ceylon Workers' Congress are organisations that have no people's backing in the political arena. The loss of two organisations of that standing cannot stand in the way of the victory of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse.