A hop-skip and a jump to the Green pond

By Rypvanwinkle

My Dear Thonda,

I thought I must write to you after hearing that you had packed your bags and left Mahinda maama's Cabinet. It is not that I was surprised - who could be after Seeni Bola hugged Mangala, and Karu and his 'horu' embraced Mahinda Maama?

And, not that anyone would have missed you at the cabinet meeting either. Saddled with over a hundred ministers, no one would have realized that you had left unless they took a head count but that is not where it matters, is it? It is in Parliament that the balance of power lies and now it is a hundred and twelve on each side, I am told!

I am not blaming you, Thonda, but I suspect this habit of jumping from one camp to another must be running in your genes. Who could forget your grandfather who was in JRJ's Cabinet and launched strike after strike against the Old Fox?

To be fair though, your grandfather and JRJ got on famously well because each knew the value of the other. And if someone argues that it is only because of your grandfather that there is no terrorism in the plantation sector today, I will not disagree.

But, Thonda, what bothered me was the suddenness of your decision. I heard that one of the famous 'advisor brothers' had called you various names but then that is not something to leave the cabinet for. After all, if you are a member of the cabinet these days, you get addressed in choice language not only by advisors but also by the general public, so it is an occupational hazard!

I have lost track of the times you have changed sides, but if I remember correctly you wholeheartedly supported the Green Man at the last election and then when Mahinda Maama won you mumbled something about wanting to help your people through the 'Mahinda Chinthanaya' and promptly changed colour!

I am not quite sure what explanation you would come up with this time around but all this - first the rathu sahodarayas, then Mangala and now you - look like rats deserting the sinking ship. I am told that the only other chap who can beat you at this game of cross-overs, Rauf, is also taking a long hard look at the numbers and trying to decide which way to go.

The problem with you, Thonda, is that even if you cross over and support the Green Man now, no one can be sure where you will be in six months time. I really can't understand why people keep voting for chaps like you, but then that is hardly your problem, is it?

Some people will say that this serves Mahinda maama right. How could one expect to have the Hela Urumaya on the one hand and you on the other, sitting in the same cabinet? That Mahinda maama managed it even for a very short time is itself a miracle but now I guess he would have to face the music.

I don't think I need to wish you well. I am sure, that whatever happens next and whoever wins next, you'll be in that Cabinet too!

Yours truly,
Punchi Putha

PS - I guess some people must be very happy at the news that you have 'jumped'. No, I am not thinking of the Green Man who dreams of forming the next government and has been dreaming for a long, long time, but the green backbenchers who must be waiting for that telephone call from Mahinda maama asking them to come and accept a yet another Ministerial portfolio in this limitless cabinet of ours…