Not soon after Sashi Rajapakse was savouring his newly set record of achieving the astonishing rate of 85% of the preferential votes, the UNP Deputy Leader, Karu Jayasuriya issued a statement that was incisive and stirring all in one. The calm and quietly spoken ‘gentleman politician’ from the Gampaha District, spoke of the need to be patient.

Acknowledging that the UNP is ‘down’ he categorically stated that the party was by no means ‘out.’ Reminding his faithful that the UNP is committed to the principles of democracy in the true sense of the word, Jayasuriya shared his view that the people of Sri Lanka too share this ‘vision’ and would ‘march with the UNP’ in their quest for ‘growth, prosperity and true freedom.’

Jayasuriya’s statement had its effect. On Wednesday the meeting to formally appoint Lakshman Wijemanne as the district leader for Kalutara was a significant success given the circumstances. It was after all, only a few days after the results from Moneragala and Uva and the UNP faithful had all the right to be despondent at least if not dejected. It needed some ‘whipping up’ from the top and Karu Jayasuriya in his inimitable style did just that.

Kalutara leader

Lakshman Wijemanne is a UNPer with many years of service to the party and had come a long way including being shot at during the black days of the JVP. A well attended gathering of the UNP membership were on hand to see their local boy being appointed the Kalutara District leader with the de facto UNP presidential candidate in waiting a.k.a Karu Jayasuriya in attendance.

The morning in Payagala with Tissa Attanayaka and Lakshman Wijemanne, gave Jayasuriya little idea of what was awaiting him at Sri Kotha later in the day.

‘There was fireworks’ was how one Working Committee member put it. It now transpires, that was an understatement.

Dayasiri Jayasekera started the fireworks. He announced after some tense debating, that he would quit membership of the Working Committee as the committee did not implement anything agreed as policy. He indicated that despite leaving the committee his loyalty was to the UNP and he would not be seeking greener pastures elsewhere.

Lakshman Seneviratne was at his vociferous best. Speaking in the vernacular, he at one stage rose to tell  the party leader that “just because he was walking around stripped, he should not attempt to strip the other party members too.” Seneviratne had been forceful.

Party candidate

He asserted that it was time that the leader announced simply whether he was or was not running as the party candidate. Their very future depended on such a decision, he said. As a loyalist he demanded that the party leader give that information.

Ranil Wickremesinghe however was not for the moving; he sat through it all. Johnston Fernando joined in the fray with a stinging attack whilst Karu Jayasuriya must have been contemplating the paradox that was before him: a party united by its common goal earlier in Payagala and a party now at each others’ throats. It was, as he put it later, “ feelings were running high.” No doubt of course caused by each members’ commitment and resolve for the dicta of the party.

Political circles were last week abuzz with the news that UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has arrived at an ‘unofficial’ decision to appoint the party’s Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya as the UNP’s candidate at the next presidential election.

It is believed that Jayasuriya would commence his campaign by the first week of October after his campaign manager, who is currently overseas, arrives in the island by mid September. Jayasuriya however, denied the story saying the party is yet to arrive at a final decision.

Party hopeful

UNP National Organiser S.B. Dissanayake, who is also hopeful of being appointed as the party’s candidate for the next presidential election is currently sending out invitations for the launching of a book prepared by him, on September 18 to coincide with his birthday.

A senior UNP parliamentarian spoke of the high tension at the working committee. However he acknowledged that statements – however stirring they were – made by the Deputy Leader was in itself not enough. It was true that the party seniors must do their bit and chip in but for the leader to be silent is indicative of some stratagem which is held close to his chest. This then is what is causing speculation and a number of thought processes.  

Chief amongst these was that the leader recognised that in his deputy he had found a person who was quite acceptable to the membership and even the public at large. He carried a certain aura that could if stroked the right way, be inspirational. If, this was the case, some of the so-called ‘rebels’ wished to know, why the leader did not step aside and propel forward Karu Jayasuriya as not only the leader but the candidate as well.

Then there was the twist, that the leader was merely using Jayasuriya for his strengths — his appeal with the membership for example, and when the time was right, the leader would step-in and wrest control and carry on in his inimitable style that has seen an increasing number of members being alienated, if not with him, with some of his policies and strategies.

The United National Party as a whole can certainly be forgiven for accepting the fact that President Rajapakse is riding a huge wave of popularity and that with all the best intentions in the world, it would be difficult to unseat the President.

Taking the ages of some of the senior members of the UNP, they must surely acknowledge and understand that it would be nigh impossible for the UNP to return to government in the short term and here is the paradox: they continue to be loyal members of the party, espouse what the party stands for and are essentially committed to the dicta of the party. This is politics and a sudden change is a real possibility for which they need to be ready, willing and able to move spontaneously.

Popular actress

It is time for the United National Party to invest in leadership. Looking beyond 2011 to 2017 perhaps — time to invest in youth, dynamism and long term strategy. The present heirachy owes it to the party to undertake this daunting yet essential task. As Lakshman Seneviratne put it, “our future depends on this.”

Popular actress Anarkali Akarsha is tipped to contest the forthcoming Southern Provincial Council (SPC) elections from the Matara District. President Mahinda Rajapakse had told a gathering of the party’s Matara District organisers convened by him at Temple Trees early last week that a popular figure would contest the PC election from the party in the Matara District. He had then said that Akarsha would contest the election from the Matara District, adding that she would contest in former Foreign Minister and SLFP (M) Wing Leader Mangala Samaraweera’s constituency.

Akarsha served as the Public Relations Officer of the Foreign Ministry during Samaraweera’s tenure. However, she was later asked to relinquish the post following complaints received by senior Foreign Ministry officials.

Seeking support

Akarsha when asked to enter politics on earlier occasions by several politicians had said she would do so only after consulting Samaraweera. Finally, Akarsha decided to enter politics at the invitation of the Rajapakses without even informing Samaraweera, who found out about it when news of the President’s statement reached him.

Akarsha meanwhile had called several government members and asked them to back her campaign. She had said that she would be contesting from the Galle District.  However, a government politician noted that it would not be possible since another popular actress tipped to contest from the Galle District at the next general election did not fancy the idea of having Akarsha contesting from the same area.

Presidential aide and chief ministerial hopeful, Sajin Vass Gunawardena, who is to contest the SPC from the Galle District it is learnt has run into a minor problem. In fact it is his hopes of becoming the chief ministerial candidate for the government that has run into trouble.

Helicopter-happy

The President earlier decided to back Vass Gunawardena — even permitting him to use VIP helicopters for his election campaign in the hope of promoting him as the party’s chief ministerial candidate. Sajin in the meantime is on the lookout for four helicopters which sources say he intends using for the campaign before transferring them to some form of commercial service or training purpose.

Difficult situation

However, a former minister of the SPC, Hemal Gunasekera, who is also a close relative of the President, has expressed his desire to become the party’s chief ministerial candidate for the SPC. Given the present situation, the President has decided to keep silent about the party’s chief ministerial candidate.

It has now been confirmed that Sashi Rajapakse will take oaths as the chief minister in Moneragala, on August 20. His younger brother Shamindra is tipped to replace him as the Presidential Private Secretary which will see their father Chamal seeking to bring back his old confidant M. T. Chandradasa back to the Ports Ministry.

And finally, here’s the entertainment news. A dinner was organised last Monday (10) at the residence of one of Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva’s close female friends. The dinner was aimed at building ties between Silva and influential political circles. Politicians representing many hues were invited for the event.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, SLFP (M) Wing Leader Mangala Samaraweera and JVP’s Anura Kumara Dissanayake were also invited to the dinner. Wickremesinghe did not attend the dinner stating he had another official engagement. Samaraweera also did not attend the dinner while UNP Parliamentarians Dayasiri Jayasekera and Kabir Hashim attended the event with several members of the government — Ministers C.B. Ratnayake and T.B. Ekanayake —  also being present.

JVP’s Dissanayake was a notable attendee and towards the end of the party he and Silva were engaged in a closed-door discussion that lasted for about two hours. The JVP it is learnt is planning on presenting their own common candidate at the next presidential election and is yet to decide between Silva and former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka.

When work, commitment, and pleasure all become one and you reach that deep well where passion lives, nothing is impossible.