The Sick Relationship Between Mahinda And Ranil
Kissing Politicians, photo taken in 2006 by Indi Samarajiva
What is going on with the UNP? Ranil Wickremesinghe has lost every recent election for the party and wasn’t even confident enough to run in the last Presidential, making it the first election in history that the UNP hasn’t contested. Still, he clings to power and is even negotiating with the government on one side while more MPs flee the party on the other. While he got Mangala Samaraweera to abandon his party of one and join the UNP, he simultaneously lost two Tamil MPs. Indeed, many of the heavy hitters in the current government from GL Peiris to Keheliya Rambukwella are former UNPers (tho they crossed at different times). One wonders how Ranil has the gall to negotiate with the government when he can’t even control his own party.
The Sunday Leader has been hitting Ranil for alleged corruption, which I think is not the main point. Ranil may have misallocated party funds, but the bigger issue is that his policies have failed and he doesn’t win elections. This alone is enough to call for his ouster. I supported his cease-fire and the following development that came, but in hindsight the LTTE did use the cease-fire to re-arm and the development was largely limited to Colombo. I opposed Mahinda’s war but it worked whereas Ranil’s approach A) didn’t work and B) probably would have left Prabhakaran with a de facto state, one that he proved ready to die for.
On a purely practical level, Ranil can’t win elections. Last Parliamentary, the UNP lost in almost every district. It is losing party members in droves, it can’t raise money and it can’t even serve as a viable opposition because it is so weak. In any other democracy party and parliamentary pressures would force him out, but the UNP is not a democratic party and the government must actually like having him there. With Fonseka in jail and Ranil as opposition leader, any opposition is effectively neutered. This is bad for the country because we dearly need an opposition to keep the government honest.
Ranil has a cosy relationship with the government which seems to serve him alright, but it’s at the expense of party and country. There’s a news buzz about whether the UNP will pull out of talks with the government or not, I don’t know. What I don’t get is why Ranil has the gall to talk to the government at all. He should first listen to the voters, his own party, his own conscience and then get out.
post syndicated from www.indi.ca, with permission
Why do you feature articles like this ? What do they say that we don’t know ? It is only the disgusting cartoon at the start that is probably designed to attract attention to your paper which is bankrupt foe news anyway !
I think Sunday Leader is selling more now it runs out by10:30. But Ranil’s newspaper ( u know what ) is available in stands even tomorrow.
With “Raja and Rani” teaming up and with a 2/3rd majority in the offing, I can assure you in all confidence that Sri Lanka is doomed!!
Ranil lost to India and not to mahinda.Whatever said about the war victory,war
is not the only way to stop insurgency.People are going to defeat the govt at a
time convenient for them.People have done this and will do this again, when
that happens Ranil may lead it or follow it.UNP won’t be ready to lose Ranil but
many want to see new strategies.Ranil has left it to destiny to decide because
he’s not a fighter.JRJ was a fighter he got balls brains and bones.The least
that Ranil can do is,introduce a bunch of next leaders for people to have hopes.Even that can go a long way.
Agree 200% with you Muzammil.
I agree 100% with you Mr.Muzammil.
Way to go Indi. Keep telling it like it is. Good on you , Sunday Leader, for carrying it.
This article is disgusting and baseless. Ranil didnt win recent elections? Yes of course he didnt win. But how/why? In the last general elections 50% didnt vote and almost all those votes were agaisnt the govt. people were fed up with what these ruling thugs did in the presidential elections, the infamouse computer manipulations. ets go to 2004 elections, what was the margin? that too thanks to prabakaran who stoped people of north from voting & thanks JVP made ‘chintanaya’ that MR had won that too with a very narrow margin. No need to talk about what the selfish dictator Bandit Queen did in the previous election that UNP did win. UNP had comfortably won that election. therefore its not only unfair to say that UNP didnt win recent election its not ethical and its prejudice.
Last presidential election was a big farce. UNP had to unite with a common opposition and the ideal candidate at time was gen. SF to fight with MR’s popularity after winning the war. So whats wrong with that. Had UNP been contested that election as a single party under the symble of elephant the same writer would say a different story now.
In a nutshell what this writer doing is promoting someone else for the leadership. If RW is a weak leader he would have gone long ago. Publish something useful and significant, instead of publishing cheap crap.
I Hussein, Most UNPer ( 95% ) will not agree with you. Ranil will be a good Senior Adviser / Senior Leader but not the Leader who will be attractive to all voters.
Ranil is having a United National PARTY once a week with MR.MR has decided to tackle this Joker-better than tackling the othet two Jokers-Weerwansa and Mervyn Silva-
And the end of this episode on how to change the constitution of Sri Lanka UNP will not have a constitution also!
I have been a supporter of green for years- now I hate the sight of this guy -Ranil-
He is good to be a Secretary not a leader.
May be the Senior Leader like Sonia Ghandi. Citizen Silva. Leader could be elected or thru consensus if it prevails.
Ranil’s Peace Talks and connected actions might have been with the best of intentions. But they failed. With hind sight we see that if Ranil became President at that time the result might have been disastrous for Sri Lanka.
Even leaders can make mistakes, but when they do, they should have the courage to admit such mistakes and not go round crying, giving excuses and blaming others
Neither should such leaders go on their own initiative to discuss matters, of vital importance to the country and its future, with opponent leaders. In such an instance it would appear to be a “one Member Party”. A real leader should first discuss such matters with his own party for consensus.
What is the earthly use of making such a song and dance about Mangala and boys joining the UNP ? They were with the UNP anyway. Was it merely to marginalize Sajit?
Boys will be Boys!
Blatent display of the sick and disgusting mentality of a minute nation…! Featuring this type of material in publc media is sickening as well !!!
Try to display something possitive Sri Lankans…! Read your own “Great history” and live up to it.
Got a long way to go folks.
Well said Tourist!