Operation Third Reading begins

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema

The initial euphoria of the government that came with the passing of the second stage of the budget on November 19 has now been replaced by a panic attack.

With less than three weeks to go for the third and final vote to be taken on the budget, the government which marginally won the second stage vote with 118 for against the 102 secured by the opposition, is exercising all its might to ensure that it sustains the numbers secured on November 19, come December 14.

The government that initially boasted of securing a comfortable victory at the second stage with a majority of about 48 votes had to finally make do with a majority of just 16 votes. The 16 vote-difference could change by December 14, especially given the strength shown by the opposition - UNP, JVP and the TNA when voting against the budget. All that the opposition needs is seven more votes to what it secured at the last vote to defeat the budget, that is factoring in the two abstentions and two TNA members who were absent into the opposition count which will bring up the total of 113 required to win.

State machinery

All available state resources were used to ensure the government's victory at the budget vote on the 19th. Presidential advisors launched various campaigns - from poster campaigns to buying votes. The government launched a campaign where the budget vote was converted to a vote on 'patriotism.' All 'patriotic forces' were called to pass the budget claiming a vote against it would be a vote in favour of the LTTE.

MPs were also being bought over - so much so that the JVP's Wimal Weerawansa announced in the House that parliamentarians have now been reduced to a "Rs. 50 million piece."

Even the President got involved in Operation Budget by engaging in personal conversations with opposition MPs. President Mahinda Rajapakse even tried to visit senior UNP MP Alick Aluvihare at his residence to inquire after his well being.

The government, which harboured doubts over the JVP's decision on the budget vote, even resorted to harassing and intimidating parliamentarians.

Harassment

UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake was called to the CID for an alleged offence committed under the Money Laundering Act. The CID also summoned UNP Parliamentarians Earl Gunasekera and Vajira Abeywardena to record statements for alleged offences.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe raised a privileges issue in parliament over the CID questioning of the three UNP MPs.

On November 19, UNP MP Sagala Ratnayake told parliament his privileges as a parliamentarian were breached the day before when several men had entered his residence in Deniyaya.

Even after the vote on the second stage, the harassment is yet to abate.

On Thursday (22) night, a group of people in a three-wheeler hurled petrol bombs at SLFP (M) Group Coordinator, Parliamentarian Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi's residence in Austin Place, Colombo 8.

Sooriyaarachchi at the time was at SLFP (M) Group Convener, Parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera's residence participating in a discussion.

The attack caused damage to his residence and no one was injured.

Apart from the UNP, the TNA also had to endure its share of harassment. A relative of a TNA MP was abducted.

Complaints

TNA Batticaloa District MP, T. Kanagasabey's son-in-law, Sasitharan was abducted in Batticaloa the day before the budget vote and was released on Tuesday (20), the day after the vote. TNA MPs complained of intimidation, harassment and of threats to vote in favour of the budget.

However, TNA MPs, sans two of its members voted against the budget along with the UNP and the JVP.

The JVP's decision to vote against the budget during the second stage proved to be the stumbling block in the government's march to a comfortable victory at the second stage of the budget vote.

It was the JVP's stance on the budget vote that prevented many government members from opposing the budget, given the difficulties they would have to face in the event the JVP either voted with the government or even abstained from voting. The JVP voting against the government finally showed which way the wind was blowing to the disgruntled government members and the third vote promises to be a whole new ball game.

Justification

JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake confirmed this when he made a speech in parliament where he said that soon after the vote on the second stage, a government minister had approached him and said he would have opposed the budget for sure had he known earlier of the JVP's stance. Ratnayake also said that patriotism could not be taught to the JVP by a government that has engaged in many unpatriotic acts.

He further justified the JVP's opposition to the budget and said that there would be no change in the party's stance. The JVP, which summoned a media briefing the day after the vote said that the party would stand by its decision to vote against the budget at the third reading as well.

However, Party Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe said that the party would still keep a close watch on the political scene in the country before making a final decision on the third stage vote on December 14. Wimal Weerawansa endorsed Amarasinghe's stance.

The split within the JVP has once again surfaced. While several JVP leaders opted to keep the doors open where the decision on the third stage was concerned, JVP frontliner, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, on Monday night, hours after voting against the budget in parliament, appeared on television and when asked if the party would still vote against the budget during the third reading vote said that since the vote would be taken on the same budget that was voted on in the second reading, there could not be a change.

Regardless of the stances maintained by various factions within the JVP, the majority stance is that the party should oppose the budget completely. the majority of the party's central committee - the main decision making body, is of the opinion that the budget should be defeated and that the government has to be toppled by at least mid next year.

The JVP for its part played its cards safe. The Marxists helped the government by remaining silent till the last minute and most probably prevented several government crossovers to the opposition. JVP's Weerawansa told the media the day after the second stage vote that had the party announced its decision earlier, the country would have had the chance to see the speed in which the so called "patriots" crossed over to the opposition.

Government challenged

However, Weerawansa also posed a challenge to the government. That was for the government to try to ensure that it could sustain the same number of 'patriot' votes at the third stage vote.

After realising that Basil Rajapakse was keeping a close watch on the JVP and that news from the party was leaked to him, the party leadership decided to take extra precautions to prevent the former from finding out any details.

Even on the day of the second stage vote, JVP MP Vijitha Herath told the rest of the JVP parliamentarians that the party was yet to announce the final verdict on its stance on the budget vote.

The back row JVP parliamentarians were asked to keep a close watch on the first JVP member to cast his vote and follow him thereafter. The first JVP MP to be called to cast the vote was Parliamentarian Ajith Kumara, who was informed minutes before the vote to cast it against the budget.

As soon as Ajith Kumara said "no" to the budget, the rest of the JVP parliamentarians followed suit, much to the dismay of the government members. Basil looked shocked, as he realised that even though the government could win the second stage vote, it brought into the open the instability of the government in parliament.

Creating history

The government is also nervous over the opposition raised by several of its members to the budget.

National Heritage Minister, Anura Bandaranaike, Justice Minister, Dilan Perera and UPFA Parliamentarian, Arjuna Ranatunga are key among the government members who have raised their voice against the present administration.

Bandaranaike became the first government minister in the history of parliamentary proceedings to vote for budget under protest. After casting his vote following a statement that the vote was for the sake of his late parents and no one else, Bandaranaike walked out of the chamber.

A few minutes before the vote was taken on the second stage of the budget, Bandaranaike pitched into Basil Rajapakse in the parliament lobby and said that his brother, President Mahinda Rajapakse's days were numbered. Hearing Bandaranaike's words, Basil made a hasty retreat to the chamber unable to face the government members who were present at the time Bandaranaike made the statement.

Not stopping at that Bandaranaike also put on a no show when the budgetary allocations for his Ministry were taken up for debate on Wednesday (21) in parliament.

Noticing his absence, JVP MP Samantha Vidyaratne pointed out that the subject minister was not present in the House to respond at which point Cultural Affairs Minister, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena had stood up and volunteered to respond to any queries on the National Heritage Ministry allocations.

Dilan Perera who voted in favour of the budget had said later that he was opposed to several actions of the present administration and vowed to raise his voice against such actions, but from within the ranks of the SLFP.

Arjuna Ranatunga, who before the budget vote announced his decision to vote against it was finally compelled to vote in favour of the budget as he was victim to the President's tactic of emotional blackmail. Ranatunga was forced to say "aye" by his father, Reggie Ranatunga who made it a point to sit in the visitors' gallery. All these have added to increase the heat on the third stage vote on December 14.

Opposition moves

Meanwhile, the news that the main opposition was gearing up for a general election also pushed the government into panic mode.

The warning signals were witnessed at the Southern Provincial Council (SPC) budget vote that was taken last Thursday (22). The UNP and the JVP opposed the budget and abstained from voting and the government barely managed to pass its SPC budget and allow the PC to continue without dissolution. Although there was a debate over the vote on the SPC budget, the UNP decided that the SPC budget should be allowed to be passed as the party did not consider it to be prudent to be straddled with a PC poll at a time it was preparing for a general election next year.

With the latest move by the UNP, the JVP's stance on the budget, and the government's instability, the Rajapakses are once again trying to look at the available options to sustain its strength.

Olive branch

As soon as news of the main opposition preparing for an election reached the government, the President turned to the UNP dissidents for support.

He informed them of his desire to form a national government by offering the premiership to UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. Accordingly, UNP pole vaulter Minister Mahinda Wijesekara extended an open invitation to the UNP to join the government to form a national government and told the media last week that the UNP rebels were willing to give up their portfolios to make way for the UNP to join.

According to Wijesekera the invitation was directed to the UNP at the President's request.