Transforming Lanka as a developed nation

Annesley Sumith Fernando

During the time of General Election in 1956, all classes of imperialist and anti-progressive people joined hands and rallied round UNP. All the leftist political parties, groups and individuals joined forces with the MEP (Mahajana Eksath Peramuna) where SLFP of SWRD Bandaranaike played a leading role. At the General Election people in their thousands taught a lesson of their life.

UNP which stood out as an unassailable rock and boasted of its unconquerable position in politics sank to the very bottom and the UNP kingpins had to eat the humble pie. The might of the people reduced UNP to a pitiable number of eight members in the Parliament. UNP could secure victory only in Dodangaslanda, Horowpathana, Weligama, Mathurata, Thalawakele and Kadugannawa, Colombo Central and Badulla (second places) electorates.

Presidential Election

At the Presidential Election in 2010, all local and foreign forces inimical to Sri Lanka joined forces, surpassing the intensity and the involvement witnessed at the

 Parliamentary Elections in 1956 and opposed the progressive forces. American interference and influence in election affairs was directly observed. The rich and the wealthy sided with them. A number of NGOs, UNP, TNA, Mano Ganeshan, Rauf Hakeem and Chandrika Kumaratunga rallied round the opposing candidate. The Pancha Maha Balawegaya i.e. sanga, weda, guru, govi and kamkaru rallied round the progressive leader, President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The old leftist parties i.e. LSSP, CP and MEP joined the President.

The JVP which described them as the real leftists, the progressive front and identified themselves as true liberators of the oppressed masses became a pawn in the American plot and they decided to side with the unholy alliance on the UNP, Mano, Mangala and TNA and thereby exhibited their political bankruptcy and nakedness. No doubt Wijeweera, the JVP founder is a lucky man in that he is not alive to see the pathetic state in which JVP is mired today.

Burning with hatred and envy, the unholy alliance referred to above formed a political alliance named Democratic National Alliance and entered the fray under the symbol of a Swan, throwing aside the names and symbols of the respective constituent parties. Victory at any cost, against the incumbent President was their sole objective.

Elected members

JVP made a blunder in making their calculations, taken into account comparing their performance at the Presidential Elections in 1999 under the symbol of the Bell. Thereafter they fought the Parliamentary Elections in 2004 as a partner of the UPFA under the symbol of the betel leaf. JVPers who contested the election in several districts secured enough preferential votes, obtaining the first three places in their list of elected members and entered the Parliament. JVP obtained 344,173 votes at the 1999 election and based on that figure they thought that people are with them. Accordingly they were convinced of a vote bank of around 1.5 million votes in their favour.

They firmly believed that their contribution was at root of the victory of UFPA at the 2004 Parliamentary Election and 2005 Presidential Election. Smarting themselves over their past performances, they firmly believed that Sarath Fonseka whom they backed to the hilt at the 2010 Presidential Election was with comfortable ease.

One of the reasons behind their decision was the slim margin of 180,786 votes with which President Mahinda Rajapaksa won the 2005 Presidential Election even with their support. (Mahinda obtained 4,887,152 votes - 50.29 percent as against his opponent Ranil who got 4,706,366 votes - 48.43 percent) JVP had neither doubt nor second thoughts about victory for the alliance under the Swan.

Basis of their calculation was.... All the votes Ranil obtained under UNP i.e. 4706366 votes + 50 percent or more the votes which JVP expected for them + a sizeable numbers of votes from the combined efforts of Muslim Congress, Mano group, breakaway SLFP heavy weight Mangala and the TNA. JVP thought that they hold the trump card.

Common candidate

With the up-lift of villages, development of roads, flyovers and infrastructure facilities; ports and air ports, power plants, both coal and thermal, housing schemes, Uthuru Vasanthaya and Nagena Hira Udawa, Mahinda was compared to Gemunu of Ruhuna and there were calls for him to be crowned as king.

Mahinda stood like a colossus and Ranil knew of his defeat against him; he also knew that allowing someone to compete against Mahinda would jeopardize his position and brand him as a weak leader. It was during this time that the idea of a common candidate was mooted around by JVP and others.

All was set for a grand fight. JVP played the lead role; UNP leader Ranil and a clique of like minded UNPers volunteered to provide the side support; TNL assured help from the North; Mano Ganeshan, Rauf and Mangala too joined the coalition to give their might and mind.

Special groups were deployed to tarnish the good name and image of Mahinda and members of the Rajapaksa family. Deliberate lies despicable stories were spread around by print and electronic media; NGOs, INGOs, even foreign states appeared to have joined the crusade, intent on bringing the downfall of Mahinda.

It is pertinens to raise the question “Against whom have those forces lined up?” It is against Mahinda who has brought an end to the cruel war of 30 long years; who has united the country under one banner, proclaiming that there are no more minorities in this country but only two classes of people namely those love the country and those do not love the country.

Mahinda came from a rural background, from a family who were in politics for decades and served the country and the people, holding an unblemished record for devoted and dedicated service. Their hands were clean, so were Mahinda’s.

Under DNA banner

UNP leader Ranil announced that UNP will contest under the party Elephant symbol and any party willing to contest under the Elephant could join him. He christened the alliance under the Elephant as United National Front.

JVP said that all the parties who contested the Presidential Election under the banner of DNA should contest the Parliamentary Election jointly as a united front. Rauf and Mano Ganeshan attended the discussions conducted by both UNP and JVP. Mangala worked tirelessly around the clock to bring UNP and JVP under a united front.

TNA thought otherwise and distanced themselves from endless talks between UNP and JP. They decided to chart heir own course. JVP and UNP were poles apart; they could not agree on anything, either policy or strategy wise. Mangala continued his brokering business undeterred, in spite of embarrassments and setbacks. He carried a message from JVP to UNP; JVP was willing to contest a selected number of seats under the Bell and some other seats under the Elephant. UNP flatly rejected the idea, treating the proposal with the contempt it deserves; for them it was similar to a proposal for a marriage between a lioness and a jackal.

In the meantime Rauf and Mano decided to join UNP; the overtures and proposals made by JVP were treated like cattle feed and discarded with no second though. Mangala who played the role of the match maker in giving life to the DNA read the writing on the wall correctly. He yearned to be a member of the Parliament representing the Opposition, the least. So he joined the UNP. Like father like son; his father Mahanama Samaraweera too started his political career as communist, but ended up as a UNPer.

Son of the soil

JVP kept on their cajoling and praying continuously; they almost begged the other parties to join the DNA, providing thousand and one reasons. JVP emulated Romeo quite vigorously; but there were no Juliets. Not a single political party of any significance came forward to join with them. Mangala had maintained intimate, also intricate relationships with JVP, but he never uttered a word about his decision to join with UNP.

The life span of DNA which had its inaugural with much fanfare and publicity was cut short; Its life extent could be measured not in years but in months, just three months to be exact.

The voters prefer to follow a leader who is blessed with experience, expertise and exposure to handle the affairs of the people, affairs of a State. They prefer a leader who is a son of the soil, who knows has mastered the serenity of they village and sophistication of the cities; a leader who knows the pulse of the workers, who is well aware of the workers.

They wish to be led by a person who feels one with them; who identifies himself with them. They prefer to be led by a leader who holds fast to local traditions and customs, who relates with them as a friend and a relative.

The General election results no doubt would silence the Opposition and bring a stop to their campaign of lies and deliberate lies.

The extremist elements which joined against the President at the Presidential Election are still in their slumber and utter nonsense after nonsense to suit their nude. The only cure available to cure them of their self inflicted maladies, according to Ayurvedic system of medicine is a forceful slap on their chin. The voter population is eagerly waiting to mete out such an outstanding remedy through the ballot on April 8, 2010.