5th Column

My dear ‘group of sixteen’ in the Blue party,
I thought I must write to you because you are getting bashed from all sides in the tussle between Maithri and Mahinda maama, so much so that it is difficult to say whether you are one single group or a collection of different cliques within the Blue party. Also, your days seem numbered in both camps.

I suppose some would call this your karma because all this started when you ganged up against the Green Man who was part of your government and produced a motion of no confidence against him. Mahinda maama also went along with the plan because he thought he could become PM again.

I think the Greens took you for a costly ride because although some of them did want to get rid of the Green Man and told you that they would support you, they all backed out in the end and you were left high and dry. As a result, it was you – and not the Green Man – who had to leave the government.

Maithri would have wanted to keep you in the Government, but it wouldn’t have been acceptable – even by our low standards – for you to remain in a Cabinet where the PM was the Green Man who you had voted against. So, you had to go – and with it, lose all the perks and privileges of office.

Since then, those in your so-called ‘group of sixteen’ have been running around in different directions. Some, like Long John, are genuinely heartbroken that the Blues are divided in this manner and want both sides to kiss and make up. Others though are playing their own little political games, aren’t they?

SB, Dilan and Thilanga, you say you are trying to broker a deal between Maithri and Mahinda maama. You want to have the best of both worlds and have your two feet in the two camps. No one really knows whether you are carrying tales from one group to another or whether you mean well.

Those in the ‘pohottuwa’ camp are sick and tired of your ‘deals’, SB. Most of them say you should either leave Maithri and join them or not join them at all. Some of them think you are Maithri’s Trojan horse and that is why even Mahinda maama says your ‘deals’ are ‘vikaara’ (nonsense).

Let’s face it, SB, your track record doesn’t make impressive reading. At the last election, you were scathing in criticising Maithri but after the election you cosied up to him and joined his Cabinet. At this rate, no one will be surprised if you end up in the Green camp again, like you did once before.

Thilanga, you think that splashing your cash around can keep everyone happy. You are another one who was in Mahinda maama’s camp but quickly switched sides to Maithri after he won. You don’t really care about either of them or the Blues, you just want lifelong control of cricket, don’t you?

Rilaasiri is playing his own game and hasn’t learnt the meaning of Disce Aut Discede still. Then there is Susil who was, of course, always Mahinda maama’s Trojan horse in Maithri’s camp. He worked steadily to undermine Maithri and now that his job is done, he is back with Mahinda maama.

Among you lot, there are a few people who really love the Blue party and can’t bear to see it divided in this manner. Those of that kind are only a few; all the others are just waiting to see which side the bread is buttered more. As a result, most of you don’t know whether you are coming or going.

That is why Maithri cracked his ‘madu waligey’ last week and announced that he will be stripping a few of you of your electoral organiser posts. So, some of you are no longer the Blue organisers and the ‘pohottuwa’ chaps don’t want you either. Where would that leave you, come election time?

Don’t you think that it is time to take a firm stand and join one side or another? Whatever faults the ‘pohottuwa’ chaps may have, you must give them credit for joining Mahinda maama, because they have said ‘no’ to all the perks and privileges that Maithri can offer – and have stayed with him too.

Think about all this, dear ‘group of sixteen’. You are not doing yourself or the Blue party any favours. It was fifty-nine years ago that your party’s founder was gunned down on his doorstep. His party did not die with him. Now though, you might succeed in driving the final nail into your party’s coffin.

Yours truly,
Punchi Putha
PS – Some of you are now saying this so-called plot to assassinate Maithri and Gota is the work of the Green Man. Now, the Green Man must be embarrassed, because, by making your claim, you have made him look like a clever strategist – and lately, he has been anything but that!