5th Column

Dead men talk of things in land of living
The Green leaders of yesteryear now in the Land of Never Return had gathered to discuss the latest events in Paradise where the Greens had suffered a humiliating defeat…

"Where do you think we went wrong?" Lalith asked.
"We had all the disadvantages of being a government but none of the advantages…" Gamini said.

"What do you mean by that?" RP wanted to know.
"Why," Gamini said, "we were blamed for all the usual issues like the cost of living, corruption, even mishandling the peace talks…"
"That's right," Lalith agreed, "but as a government we couldn't decide on the date of the elections or control the media…"

"The important question now" Junius, who had been listening in silence said, "is to think of what happens next…"
"Ranil seems to think that everything will fall apart in two months…" RP said.

"That boy is too easy going" Junius said, "at least now he should make things happen instead of waiting for things to happen…"
"I agree," RP said, "he could have submitted an impeachment against Satellite when those ministries were taken away and she couldn't have dissolved Parliament then…"

"Yes," Gamini said, "but I think he didn't do that because he wanted Parliament to be dissolved and he thought he could get a larger majority then…"
"And that would have been the case if elections were held then and there but then it was Satellite who decided the date and she waited until she got the alliance with the Reds ready…" Lalith observed.

"But now the situation is such," Gamini said, "that things will happen anyway even if Ranil does nothing…"
"From the looks of it they are already happening…" RP said.
"Why do you say that?" Junius asked.

"Why, first there was this issue about who would be the Prime Minister and that didn't quite unite the alliance behind one man…" RP said.
"And then the Reds boycotted Mahinda's swearing in because they hate his guts anyway…" Lalith said.

"So," Gamini said, "all we need to do now is to exploit the divisions in the alliance…"
"Yes," RP agreed, "and we could start with Anura who must be disappointed that he didn't get the Premier's job…"
"And don't forget that there are quite a few disgruntled Blues who were kept out of Parliament because the Reds crept in," Junius said, "they must be made use of too…"

"But I wonder how Satellite will get her majority…" Lalith said, "her options are very limited…"
"If she wants the support of the monks she can't talk to the Tigers and if she wants the support of the Tigers she will have to agree to all their demands…" Gamini observed.

"And if she wants the support of Rauff and Thonda they will insist on retaining the presidential system which means she will have to retire in a year…" Lalith said.
"And the Reds hate Rauff and Thonda anyway, so it won't be a very happy alliance…" RP noted.

"I think," Junius said, "that there is a much easier way out for Satellite to solve the immediate problem of getting a majority…"
"What is that?" the others asked, puzzled.

"Why, she can get some people from our own Green camp to support her without any of those conditions in return for a ministerial job or even perhaps a little something else," Junius said, "and preventing that should be Ranil's first task…" The others slowly nodded in agreement.

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