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After Jayasekera’s political circus, UNP must unite or face more disasters
- Crossover Dayasiri claims he got fax from President but party sources dispute his claim to chief minister’s post
- Grand Old Party must focus on key issues and work with commitment for the welfare of the people
“Mal Maama” sang to soothe ears and was so charming that he won the hearts of most colleagues at the Law Faculty of the Colombo University in the 1990s. He developed a taste for politics whilst serving as one of the coordinating secretaries to his one-time professor, G.L. Peiris, now the irrepressible Minister of External Affairs. He was then Minister of Constitutional Affairs, National Integration and Justice.
Rising to some fame from song and dance, “Mal Maama” or 44-year-old Dayasiri Pathmakumara Jayasekera followed in the footsteps of his mentor. As a Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) candidate, he won a seat in the Panduwasnuwara Pradeshiya Sabha in 1997 obtaining the largest number of preference votes. After the tragic death of Nalanda Ellawala (son of late SLFP Ratnapura District Parliamentarian), he became the leader of the SLFP Youth Wing. From there he entered Parliament after contesting the general elections in 2004. This was after his effort to get elected at the 2001 parliamentary elections failed.
Peiris crossed over from the SLFP to the United National Party (UNP) in October 2001. Joining him then were S.B. Dissanayake, Bandula Gunawardena, Mahinda Wijesekera, Lakshman Kiriella and Jayasundera Wijekoon, all of them MPs. At a discussion, then President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga remarked that she would not like to make any remarks in the presence of “Peiris’ spies.” That was to offend Jayasekera who was one of those who attended. He quit and joined the main opposition United National Party (UNP) and won a seat in Parliament on the UNP ticket.
This week, Jayasekera blamed his leader Ranil Wickremesinghe for all his travails and announced in Parliament he would again go back to the fold of the SLFP. He is expected to send in his letter of resignation tomorrow. He will contest the upcoming North Western Provincial Council elections. For many months now, almost a year, speculation has been rife over the possible return of Jayasekera to the SLFP. Hence, the crossover is not a matter of great surprise. It was only a question of when. However, what has come as a bigger shock is the web of lies, half-truths and deception that have shrouded Jayasekera’s walkout from the UNP. If analysts, like most Sri Lankans were confused, political speculators feigned exclusivity to issues which perhaps Jayasekera himself was unaware. What is day dreaming, when Government MPs are now forming their own bands and vocalist groups?
First, to an issue reported in these columns last week. It was Colombo District UNP parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake who escorted Jayasekera for a 55 minute meeting at Sri Kotha with Wickremesinghe the previous Friday (July 19). Joining in, as it got under way, was General Secretary Tissa Attanayake. It was revealed that the thrust of Jayasekera’s complaint was that he had been overlooked in favour of Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, also a UNP parliamentarian from the Kurunegala District. This was despite his securing the largest number of preference votes. On the other hand, in terms of seniority in the party, Kariyawasam held a longer tenure.
Another matter discussed during the meeting, the Sunday Times learnt, was the issue of political leadership of party trade unions, the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya (JSS). Jayasekera was to raise issue. Since the death of Jayalath Jayawardena MP, the successor named is John Ameratunga who officiates as Deputy Parliamentary Leader in the absence from Sri Lanka of Wickremesinghe. Jayasekera said he had indicated to Tissa Attanayake (General Secretary) that he would wish to take over the leadership of the JSS. However, this had not materialised. He had told Wickremesinghe that he too had political ambitions, to which Wickremesinghe said “ambition is a good thing, and that’s what drives political parties”.
Wickremesinghe said that he (Jayasekera) had problems within the party, a reference to the disciplinary inquiry against him, but that the Working Committee had accepted the report of the disciplinary committee and exonerated him, so he could move on from there. He said all politicians had setbacks, and that he too must reverse those setbacks.
A later move by former UNP Chairman Malik Samarawickrema to offer the deputy leadership to Jayasekera was, however, shot down by other party seniors.
When the meeting ended, Jayasekera shook hands with Wickremesinghe. Both to Wickremesinghe and even Attanayake it was a gesture that signalled that matters have been resolved. More so, since Jayasekera has placed all his grievances and Wickremesinghe has offered him redress. The position was amplified further when Jayasekera made media statements after this meeting. He declared categorically that he would not cross over to the Government side.
If that was what transpired at the meeting on Friday (July 19), more was to follow three days later, on Tuesday (July 23). Having interviewed prospective candidates, the UNP Nomination Committee for the North Western Provincial Council was meeting in a Committee Room in Parliament. They were Mangala Samaraweera, Ravi Karunanayake and Joseph Michael Perera. UNP Chairman Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, had said he was unable to attend. Kandy District UNP parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella, who had sat earlier in the Nomination Committee to pick candidates for the Central Provincial Council also stayed behind. Two MPs of the Kurunegala District had been summoned to go through the list of prospective UNP candidates and give their comments. This was prior to finalising the nominations list for the NWP polls. The two were Dayasiri Jayasekera and Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, UNP parliamentarians from the Kurunegala District, the heartland of the NWP. The duo went through name by name.
The UNP’s Communications Chief Mangala Samaraweera told the Sunday Times, “he (Jayasekera) offered some very constructive suggestions and later approved the list. He concurred with the vast majority of names in the list and had no major objections over others.” He said when the meeting ended; Kiriella had asked him jocularly when he was joining the Government. “Pissuda. Meva okkama boru ney Sir. Mang Pakshey Daala Yanawada (Are you mad Sir. Will I leave the party and go),” said Jayasekera. Later, Samaraweera said, when he was walking into the chamber of Parliament “I asked Jayasekera whether he was crossing over.” This was in the light of speculation that he would do so. He replied “Meva okkoma boru ney.” (These are all lies).”
“I told him not to do that. I said he would become a cabinet minister if the UNP came to power,” said Samaraweera. In reply Jayasekera had said, “Ranil will never give me a good Ministry.” Not to be outdone, Samaraweera had pointed out that even Mahinda Rajapaksa was given the less important Fisheries Ministry but he fought his way through to be President. I said that was an example he should bear in mind.
The next day, Wednesday (July 25) word was out in political circles that Jayasekera would make a statement in Parliament in the afternoon, resign and announce his candidature for the NPC polls. It was Ravi Karunanayake who broke the news to Wickremesinghe and a number of his own party colleagues. He told them that the previous night (Tuesday) he received a telephone call from Jayasekera. He had told him that he would be crossing over the next day – i.e. Wednesday. He had said that on Tuesday morning he had met Economic Development Minister and SLFP National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa and sought a letter. He had wanted to obtain an assurance in writing that he would be the chief ministerial candidate for the NWP polls. Minister Basil Rajapaksa had said that no such letter could be issued to him. However, President Rajapaksa, Jayasekera had told Karunanayake, faxed to him such a letter later that day. Hence, he was now leaving the United National Party (UNP). Is the claim true or false?
Highly placed UPFA sources said President Rajapaksa had issued no such letter to any candidate on the UPFA ticket. These sources said the ruling party’s position was also clearly articulated in the Government run Daily News of Friday (July 26) after Jayasekera’s claim had been made public. The front page report said “No decision has been taken to name the Chief Ministerial candidate of the SLFP for the North Western Provincial Council (NWPC), the SLFP General Secretary said. SLFP sources also added that the Chief Ministerial post would be kept open and a decision would be taken after the elections…… The sources also said the party has decided not to name Chief Ministerial candidates for the Central and Northern Provincial Councils as well…..”
That clearly sets out the official position of the UPFA. Is that position prompted by the need not to demoralise the other contestants? It is known that many UPFA stalwarts in the Kurunegala district are clearly unhappy with Jayasekera’s entry into their ranks.
At least some UNPers thought that Jayasekera had indeed clinched such a letter. Even Karunanayake, who has a close rapport with Jayasekera, told UNP seniors that was the position. On the other hand, if Jayasekera’s claims are not true, are they a form of deception? Either way, one of the pointers will come when the UPFA list of candidates is made public after Thursday’s nominations. The usual practice has been to name a potential front runner to head the list though this is by no means a convention that such a person would be Chief Minister. For several months now, Jayasekera has been talking to UPFA leaders. On one occasion he met President Rajapaksa at the residence of a businessman now on the verge of being a billionaire. A week ago, Rajapaksa told the leader of a UPFA constituent party that Jayasekera would cross over on July 23. However, this did not materialise and the explanation of some of his confidants was that he had not received the letter then. At the ceremony to rename Gregory’s Road in Colombo 7 to R.G. Senanayake Mawatha early last week, President Rajapaksa was asked about Jayasekera, and he downplayed the question saying Jayasekera had not asked for nomination, yet. Jayasekera has, however, been in touch with some of his contemporaries at the Colombo University and higher ups in a publishing group about his media campaign during the NWPC polls.
On Thursday, Jayasekera took part in a string of receptions in the Panduwasnuwara area from where he launched his political career. The speeches he made at different stop-overs appeared to contradict what he said earlier. The events started off with a visit to the Aiyanayaka Devalaya from Pannala around 3 p.m. and thereafter a series of ceremonies at Sandalankawa, Badalkumbura, Kuliyapitiya and Hettipola. Jayasekara made brief comments. “I am not going to contest under the label of becoming a Chief Ministerial candidate,” he declared. He added, “I am joining the party to support President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his development programmes. I have always been a man who has been with the people and the people will support me. I am confident that I can get the highest number of preference votes in the province.”
Was he instructed to make the position clear or was it an afterthought? It is known that the UPFA hierarchy, who became privy to Jayasekera’s references to a letter assuring him that he was the Chief Ministerial candidate, had caused concern. It is in the light of this that one of the UPFA candidates Athula Wijesinghe, the former Chief Minister of NWP, declared at a news conference that he would lead the polls campaign in the Kurunegala district. He said though others had made claims, they would be proved wrong. The news conference in Kurunegala was held after the Jayasekera saga.
Jayasekera was allowed by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa to make a speech about his impending resignation and joining the SLFP. It came when the House was debating amendments to the Sri Lanka Electricity Act No 20 of 2009. Some of the remarks made by Jayasekera reflect the mood over his crossover. Here are highlights:
“I would like to quote British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli who said this Conservatism discards Prescription, shrinks from Principle, disavows Progress; having rejected all respect for antiquity, it offers no redress for the present, and makes no preparation for the future…….
| Posters of Dayasiri Jayasekera, Sanath Nishantha and Athula Wijesinghe claiming to be the nominee for the chief ministerial post of the Wayamba province. Pix by Pushpa Kumara Jayaratne, and Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe | ||
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“The present leadership of the UNP has given the exact interpretation to this saying by Disraeli. As a person who has been shunned, neglected and ignored by the UNP leader, I can say this through my experience. Anyone who tries to fight against this system will have to face the guillotine. There are a large number from our party who got caught to the guillotine and had to leave the party.
“The current leadership had extended the term for another six years to stay in power. The leadership introduced certain dictatorial clauses to the party constitution at a convention held in Kataragama. That is clause 8 (1) of the party Constitution. Unless a vacancy occurs in the post of leader, that post will remain unchanged. This means that the leadership will not change until the leader resigns or dies. We have struggled against dictatorial leadership within the party circles under the leadership of Sajith Premadasa. MPs PC members and our local government members joined in this struggle. As a result of that struggle we managed to put together a new constitution for the Party by removing clause 8 (1) giving dictatorial powers to the leader………
“After a few months there was a vote in this connection. On the day of the vote, 23 persons were appointed to the Working Committee overnight. None had any idea about the inner working of the party or the Working committee. It was like registering new members for a death Donation Society. They voted and defeated our proposal. People were disgusted and disappointed with this conduct and continuous losses.
“Using the attack on party headquarters Siri Kotha as a cover, people were victimised. We were against the attack. That is our “Maha Gedera” (meaning ancestral home) and we condemned that attack. We wanted those responsible punished. Then a committee was appointed under the leadership of Srinath Perera and a proposal to extend the party leadership by six more years was also approved. At the Party convention held thereafter, CCTV cameras were installed and election was held after the area was turned into a prison. People were coerced into voting. That was the democracy practised by the party. When some of those who were opposed to it kept quiet, we were bold enough to speak up against such moves. Our conscience did not allow us to keep quiet. Now we are talking of an election in 2014 but even if the party loses, the leadership will continue till 2018……
“Now the dream is to get power in 2022. That means for ten more years UNP supporters will have to suffer taking beating after beating and only chase a dream of taking power in 2022. Rosy Senenayake was removed from the working Committee and was not re-appointed. Buddhika Pathirana was also removed from the Working committee. He polled the highest votes in Matara District. That is the kind of people we call to the Working Committee. Sujeewa Senesinghe was sidelined. His electorate was divided into two and one was given to a Pradeshiya Sabha member. He is not even called for a UNP news conference. Dinesh Gankanda, Palitha Thevarrapperuma, Asoka Abeysinghe all have been side-lined. Imtiyaz Bakeer Marker was also removed from WC as well as Ranjith Aluvihara.
“Chandra Gankanda, Shiral lakthilaka, Maithree Gunaratne, George Perera , Rose Fernando were among the PC members who were removed. In this way many of our party members were penalised. Karu Jayasuriya was the Deputy leader of the party since 2005. He was removed from the Working Committee. Sajith Premadasa was removed as Deputy Leader but was re-appointed to the Working Committee. Ranjith Maddumabandara was also removed. Talatha Atukorala was removed from leadership of Lak Vanitha.
“A large number of people left the party because of this leadership starting from Minister Sarath Amunugama. There is Keheliya Rambukwella, Mahinda Samarasinghe as well as Rohitha Bogollagama. Due to UNP’s non-support for the war, a large group of MPs crossed over…….. We had to bring in a leader for the presidential election. Thus we brought in General (retd.) Sarath Fonseka. When he had been incarcerated, the leadership held the same opinion. According to leadership, he should have remained behind bars so that party would gain. The UNP leadership could not capitalise on issues such as removal of Shirani Bandaranayke from the post of Chief Justice and the power tariff hike. Trade union wing of the party has collapsed, organisations in the grassroots have been damaged severely. We have seen the vote base has eroded to unrecoverable extents.
“The party has come down to do voice-cut politics. Whenever a mike is given, we attack the government, but when party goes to do politics with people it fails. People today do not blame the government for the ills and miseries they are confronted with. They blame the Opposition. The UNP is doomed to lose. Surely it would lose the forthcoming Provincial elections and I will steer the government party in the North Western province to victory. The SLFP is where I started politics. My joining the SLFP is going back to ancestral home. I could cross over and become a minister easily. But I would not do so. I resign from my post and go before people. I know they would elect me the Chief Minister and someday I may come back to Parliament.”
As is clear from his speech, Jayasekera’s main thrust has been a barrage of criticism against UNP leader Wickremesinghe. He even made some distasteful personal remarks. Other than that, some of the issues he has raised are not invalid. Those have been raised by many senior UNPers and even those at the grassroots level as the reason why the UNP, the grand old party of Sri Lanka is in such a perilous state. It was also widely known that Jayasekera has for quite some time now been at odds with Wickremesinghe. There is, however, a moot question that begs answer.
If indeed his crossover was the result of his long running feud with Wickremesinghe, why wait, as he claims, till a letter from President Rajapaksa arrived? Is he no different to the other politicians who win the mandate of the people, betray them and go for greener pastures and perks with a government? They look for cash gifts, property or want to resolve legal wrangles, sometimes bordering on crimes. Gone are the days when there was principled politics with principled politicians.
Two UNP parliamentarians were allowed speeches by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa as a Right of Reply to Jayasekera’s speech. They defended Wickremesinghe. Harin Fernando (UNP-Badulla District) said, “We know the people who wrote his speech. He did not thank the UNP for the experience gained. He was able to cross over because his popularity. If there is injustice in the party he should quit politics, but not jump to the other side. We believe he may have been paid Rs. 250 to 300 million for it. He has done this just ahead of provincial elections. I know personally that he likes money. We tried to explain things. He talks good about President Mahinda Rajapaksa. If it all he should learn a lesson from President Rajapaksa he should learn about patience. He should not sling mud at the party. Today they have put up posters ‘Wayambata Siri’ – Dayasiri’ what we have to say is ”Dayasiri umba monawada me karagatte’ (Dayasiri what have you done to yourself). This is his end. He has destroyed himself. He will never be able to return to Parliament from the SLFP.”
However, during a chat show on VFM, a radio station closely linked to Minister Johnston Fernando, Harin Fernando on Wednesday night admitted Wickremesinghe was “not marketable”. He said one of those who caused that situation was Mangala Samaraweera when he was a minister in the PA Government. “It is now up to Mangala to undo that image,” he said.
Added Ranjan Ramanayake (UNP – Colombo District): “He is a good actor, a good singer, a good dancer but I think the acting he did in this House today, supersedes everything he has done in the past. First of all he quoted S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike as an example but the late leader for whom we all have a great deal of respect never jumped here and there for money or position. He formed the Pancha Maha Balayegaya and formed his own parity and did politics. He did not take votes from one party and jump to another. I am sure the people in Wayamba will not be fooled……”
Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage castigated former UNP deputy leader Sajith Premadasa for being one of the causes of Jayasekera leaving the UNP. He said, “Today several prominent UNPers have been sidelined. There is another person responsible for Dayasiri leaving the party. That is Sajith Premadasa. You paved the way for him to leave the party. Because of you 120 odd members are out of the party. Some have been deprived of nominations. You have been appointed Deputy Leader, You have been appointed to the Working Committee; you have got a prominent place in the party. You have betrayed the struggle in the UNP. You are one of the reasons for Dayasiri’s departure….” He was alluding to Premadasa’s own campaign against Wickremesinghe that ended when he became deputy leader. The inference was that Premadasa’s backers were left in the lurch. There has been no formal response from Premadasa over Jayasekera’s crossover.
Notwithstanding the idiosyncrasies of the Jayasekera cross over, the episode does raise the lid from the stinking mess in what was Sri Lanka’s premier political party, the UNP. If captains are blamed for losing cricket matches, the skipper of a ship is blamed for a wreck, company chairmen for staggering losses, and then a good portion of the responsibility would have to be taken by none other than the leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe. Under his leadership some 65 UNP parliamentarians have crossed over at different times. Today, some of the front-liners in the UPFA are those who served under him. It is a public secret that many have had differences of opinion with him though not all may be right.
In the recent months the UNP leadership has failed in its public responsibility of raising issues that concern or even hurt them. One was the impeachment of the Chief Justice 43, Shirani Bandaranayake. Then came the record increase in electricity tariffs. Hardly a week passes without the Government deciding on colossal expenditure on different grandiose ventures, some not urgent priorities. Only stifled voices are raised against them though it is well known that many millionaires are born as a result of this.
Corruption has reached highest levels. The Central Bank has hired its own agencies in the United States to conduct Sri Lanka’s foreign policy. Foreign casino operators are receiving tax free benefits. These are a drop from an ever widening ocean of instances. Wickremesinghe should raise some of the issues instead of outsourcing them to inexperienced juniors in his party. He should show the country that he could lead and that the UNP has now changed to serve the people. The need of the hour is to unite the party. At least Sajith Premadasa and Karu Jayasuriya who have a sizeable support base in the party must be involved. It is a good thing for the party that they are in the Central Campaign Committee that short-list candidates for the forthcoming provincial elections.
When they all meet with Wickremesinghe next Tuesday morning, they need to take stock of the post-Jayasekera situation with all its ramifications. That would be the first step if they wish to succeed. Otherwise they would continue to remain UNP identified under a different name — Under Numerous Pressure.
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