Ravi Vs Rosy
- Internecine War
By R. Wijewardene
The biggest of the year’s big matches is less than a month away and the campaigns are already in full swing.
With a string of defeats to their… er credit its clear the opposition is on the defensive. Divided and lacking the resources to launch a large scale campaign islandwide the UNP have, for the most part, fallen back to their strong hold — the city of Colombo.
Dozens of opposition heavy weights are now contesting from the city. Scores of UNP candidates are asking for the Colomboian vote, but to add to the mix, the General from the navy jailhouse is also asking for city votes.
While retreating to your hinterland is a tried and tested strategy in an election that the government is expected to win by a landslide all these opposition candidates are fighting for a share of what seems to be a shrinking vote base.
And the question is — will there be enough votes for them all? With hundreds of candidates contesting from the district the answer is almost certainly to be no.
And with some traditional UNP voters bound to switch their allegiance to the Sarath camp and others likely to stay away from the elections all together it now seems possible that even some of the party heavy weights will struggle to win their seats.
With the party leader likely to top the preference list on ballots cast by UNP die hards only two additional candidates will receive votes.
And desperate to pick up as much of what’s left of the UNP’s block vote as possible and get themselves on the voters lists of preferences, UNP candidates are now in direct competition with each other.
Rather than trying to eat into the government’s apparently solid vote bank UNP hopefuls have little choice but to fight each other to collect a dwindling number of votes from the party faithful.
As such this year’s key election battles will not be contests between the two parties but inter-party wars for preferential votes.
And for the rest of the big match season we will be focusing on some of the key individual battles and how they stack up against each other.
Ravi ‘the nuisance’ K vs Rosy ‘pretty face’ S
Ravi Karunanayake and Rosy Senanayake are respectively UNP organisers for Colombo North and Colombo West. Both appeal to the middle class urbanite party faithful.
But votes from Colombo West and Colombo North alone won’t see them through and they will have to campaign in every part of the city – encroaching on each other’s organising territory to secure seats.
And while some party supporters will vote for both Ravi and Rosy, many will chose one or the other.
So how do the two R’s stack up next to each other?
Profile
Rosy the model and successful beauty queen proved she’s more than merely a pretty face by polling the highest number of UNP preferential votes in last year’s Western Provincial Council election. New on the campaign trail Rosy is a much needed fresh face within the ranks of the UNP and by entering the big league she has become one of the high profile women in a local political scene dominated by middle aged men.
Why she deserves your vote: A new face and new hope for the party, Senanayake is a tireless campaigner and able to win votes from beyond the party’s traditional vote base.
Support base: The usual UNP middle class Colombo crowd but appeals to women from every segment of the population.
Weaknesses
Her association with evangelical groups, and a reputation for being too concerned for Colombo’s elite set despite her own rural origins.
Chances: Good. Topped preferences during the provincial council election and appeals beyond the traditional UNP vote base. Should be able to secure a seat even if the party as a whole fares poorly.
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Profile
Ravi K is a party stalwart and heavyweight. One of the key figures in the UNP, he was particularly prominent during Sarath Fonseka’s campaign. Relatively young, he is thought to have the energy and dynamism to take the UNP forward.
Vote base: Party loyalists keen to support the current UNP leadership. As well as in his key campaign areas Colombo North and Kotte.
Why vote for him: His election campaign claims he has been a nuisance to the government, and that probably is the best reason to vote for Ravi K; the UNP needs a belligerent voice in parliament and Ravi K is likely to provide it.
Weaknesses
Some of his comments including a certain diatribe regarding troops heading for victory in Pamankada rather than Alimankada have drawn the ire of the public. He isn’t necessarily Mr. Popular within his own party either. Has a marked tendency to get into spats with other party members. His reputation for quick dealing doesn’t quite gel with the UNP’s push to provide a clean and transparent alternative to a corrupt government.
Chances: Fair, but if the UNP ends up on the wrong end of a landslide defeat a seat is by no means guaranteed.
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Talking Heads
Ravi K:
What are your chances of winning a seat?
“Im confident of winning a seat in fact I’m sure of it. The response to my campaign has been excellent.”
Do you think you will secure the highest number of UNP preferential votes?
“I’m not interested in preferential votes just getting the most votes for the party.”
Why should people vote for you?
If, they want an honest politician with a proven record of dedication to the country and the party.Rosy S:
Will you secure a seat?
I topped the UNP preferences in the Provincial Council election so I’m confident of getting a seat.So will you top the UNP preferences at this election too?
No. that’s not my aim – of course the Party Leader will top the Colombo District preferences, but I know I will get a lot of support.
Which areas do you except to do well in?
I have supporters in every part of Colombo. I’m the organiser for Colombo West but the area has only about 20,000 votes — so if I’m going to secure a seat I need to attract votes from elsewhere in the district.
Why should people vote for you?
I’ve proven my commitment and dedication to the people and the party. By working for the betterment of the people I have been able to win their hearts and minds.
one made jokes about the war, ridiculed the efforts of the armed forces, the other a very well known converter of buddhist to christianity. why vote for any of these two idiots, i reckon a bullet to the head is more appropriate.
I agree with you. There are better candidates in UNP to vote for. Ravi can’t fool people every time. Good bye Ravi…. and Rose
ajit You are 100% correct why vote both these Avajelic and corrupt couple when there are more educated people like Mohan Lal Grero
who can bring in true change to our political system. Why I cannot understand is how Rosy secure so many preferential votes at the last election when there are so many candidates with more brains and character My vote will not go to both of them
YES AJIT
A MAN WITH A SANSKRIT NAME. THAT IS WHAT YOUR PERVERTED BLUE MIND TELLS YOU. WHAT IS WRONG IN RIDICULING THE MURDERING AND RAPING SCUM IN YOUR ARMED FORCES? DO NOT FORGET BOTH BUDHISM AND CHRISTIANITY ARE ALIEN FAITHS SO DO NOT ACT LIKE A GUARDIAN OF BUDHISM. WE KNOW WHAT SCUM LIKE YOU DID IN THE NAME OF A FINE FAITH BUDHISM. YOU ARE A BLEMISH ON THIS FINE COUNRY.
Well said Ajit.
Few more things to add. This tritor got funds from LTTE fund raiser Raj Rajarathnam, and tried to buy few MPs from the government and topple the government during the budjet which definitly woud have resulted the collapse of the war and save LTTE. Recentl this jackal change over to the National Dress. But intelligent Sri Lankan can see the “tiger spots” under the National Dress.
Hope he will join me soon.
Lasantha Wickramathunga from Hell
Ravi is the most corrupt dirty politician, he ruined the UNP, UNP ers should not vote for him
Am surprised by this statement. He at least is one politician who crossed over to the opposition and has stayed.
He may be a permanent member of the party, but just dont forget that he is a first class CROOK. Am surprised that you are surprised.
Ravi is very corrupt why is he in court acused in money deals with Raj Rajaratnam?Rosy no good budhist coverter.
There two choices for the voter and support from of the JHU she’s my bet !!
Poor UNP fellows. These idiots still can’t understand the fate of Colombo district is decided by Kesbewa, Avissavela, Kaduwela, Maharagam and homagama voters. These idiots are still thinking winning Colombo central is enough but they lose in huge margin in those mentioned areas.
Don’t think of winning an election by UNP, as long as Ranni and his gang like Ravi,Vagira etc, are with UNP
with candidates like this what future can the country expect. one is a woman who has nothing but her jaded title as MRS of the world (madame would have been more apt) to flaunt apart from running a brothel under the cover of a restaurant with her husband(wife?) for hi-fi politicos and the other is a scam artist who will sell his mothers name for anything -even a cup of plain tea as long as he can make a quick buck .remember the SATHOSA scam involving millions of dollars and the thakaran deal with the indians.
For me, Rosie’s campaign in diluting the 2553 year old all -compassionate doctrine of Buddhists by coersion, gifts, money, fame, charm or whatever-it-takes, takes the biscuit. All else matter not or matters little. For many followers of this philosophical religion though, terminating 25 centuries of faithfulness is much akin to giving up your own life. Rosie, may have all the charms, but her deeds of coversions to christianity from Dhulanjalie down, leaves a very sour taste in one’s mouth.
You are telling the truth a friend of mine who visited former president Premadasa’s house told me that they have pictures of Jesus on their walls.May be she converted Sajith too who knows
“While retreating to your hinterland is a tried and tested strategy in an election that the government is expected to win by a landslide all these opposition candidates are fighting for a share of what seems to be a shrinking vote base”
THE GOVERNMENT IS EXPECTED TO WIN BY A LANDSLIDE.
Good – No chance of a colour Revolution on the 9th then.
A govt should win with a landslide only because of their popularity. BUT this govt may win because of their mud slinging, damaging, greedy and thuggery, dictatorial attitude
Rosy ever beautiful as the flower rose – my vote will go for you my darling, after my first preference – Sarath Fonseka. My only worry – you are into Christian conversions, especially after being born to a Buddhist family (Ramanayake). Ravi K – a big time crook no way in the world will I vote for him. He destroyed the private sector – a big mouth bully a Catholic who has plundered innocent people’s money
Ravi K. is simply corrupt.His mind is always working overtime as if on steroids looking for that loophole anywhere so that he can grab as much as he can for free.Politics is the last refuge of this well-known scoundrel
Good luck Rosy!! Our country need fresh, uncurrupted people like you!
Yes preethi, by showing the seni naked body to the world to become a beauti queen and converting buddhists is the way of uncorruption.
Rosi should believe what she wants to believe, simple as that.
Ravi neither jumped to Mahinda’s lap nor Government brought any case against him. So I have no choice but to think he is clean/
These Mahinda cohorts should know that Mahinda’s wife is STILL CHRISTIAN ! And his sons who worshipped Christian gods for years ! Actually younger one still goes to the church with his mom !
So what this fuss abt Rosi ?
yes ayesh, you are 100% correct
janith
Don’t talk rubbish ayesh I am a Thomian myself and I can tell you all about their religious affiliations all three of them are 100% buddhists
besides we got nothing against Catholics or Christians it’s about Rosy’s record of Avengelical unethical conversions and her famous interview to Lankadeepa(though she later manage to get the paper to say what they published was a mistake but we don’t know how a mistake like that can happen)
These day all of them will sing he same tune. Post election all their will tunes will change, until the next election. This has been going on on. why should this change this time around!
Ask the Hayleys group for the dossier they have secretly kept of this “Loud-mouth” idiot since the days he worked at their MIT Cargo division – but was eventually fired for playing out the company to the tune of millions. Efforts made by certain representations of a then powerful Minister could not budge the Management of Hayleys group to back out from their decision to kick this crook out.
Wew wish both ravi and rosy good luck.Both are Good, Ravi is educated , and rosy talks sence.. these are types we need to take the country forwrd not R Dumina type rapists,,,,,,,
Rosy did a great job for SL in Malaysia, better than most career diplomats. She is not only a pretty face. What has her religion got to do with being a honest politician with imagination and delivery on her promises. Infact her religion may be an asset in that regard. Ravi is a energetic opposition MP and naturally he will attract all kinds of wild allegations none of which have been proven despite him being in the opposition. These two people need to be in parliament compared to some of the scoundrels who are spending millions to get elected. The simple question is how will these fellows who spend millions hope to recover their outlays? Answer is Bribery and corruption. So the choice is do you vote for more bribery and corruption or people who have done some things or as we call it have the numbers on the board. I’d say vote for Rosy and Ravi.
Both of them are in same boat. They are corrupted in every where Eg. Ravi destroyed Sathosa and there is some court case against him regarding money corruptions and put thousand people to the road while she has done so many things and known people are knows what are those is it. problem is that the people those who are in the UNP don’t know the real situation. We can’t blame to the people because there understanding and thinking power is very narrow specially the people living in the city with under the normal living standard.
People lile Thilak belonged to the extreme cases of brainwashed.
We have proven corrupted goons in SLFP but Thilak is dumb enough not to see them.
We have COPE report against some TOP ruling party candidates and Tilak is dumb enough not to see them.
We have Thilanga another TOP candidate, blatantly violating Immigration law, but Thilak is dumb enough not to see it!
We have two ex-ministers, Milroy & boggallagama, engaged & caught for infidelity, but Thilak the dumb happy to ignore that.
We had Milroy’s wide hacked his ex-mistress to death, only to turn into Mahinda and got a pardon. And Thilak is talking abt honesty !
We have Casino rulers, Race Bookies running for ruling party, And thilak talking abt city mentality !
We should forgive Thilak, coz he doesn’t know he is dumb !!
http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/1409
People cast votes for many different reasons….race, caste, religion, party affliation, jealousy against the rich, so on and so forth. In that context voting for Mrs. Senanayake because she is beautiful seems only fair. After all has anyone seen a more beautiful woman of her age anywhere?
both are ideots,dont poll these two
Booruwa saha Gona!