5th Column

My dear Mahinda maama,

I thought of writing to you when I saw you visiting India on a trip that has generated some amount of controversy. It must have been quite a different feeling for you, visiting a nation not as our Head of State but as its second in command- especially when the man in charge now is your younger brother.

Despite that, the Indians still rolled out the red carpet for you. However, what generated interest here were the number of people you took with you and who they were. That has got people talking and wondering whether you were using the trip to India to send a not so subtle message to Gota maama.

You took a delegation of thirty-nine with you. So, it looks like old habits die hard even if you are no longer the big boss. If that is your way of saying ‘thank you’ to those who stood by you over the past few years, some people may accept that. However, that is not the message Gota maama is conveying.

Gota maama is saying his government is all about ‘changing the system’ and keeping things simple. His visit to Parliament was without the usual fanfare. He cut back on the scale of celebrations on Independence Day recently. He has taken only a handful of people with him when travelling overseas.

So, when you take thirty-nine people to visit India and several members of your family are among them, people notice the difference. Then they start asking embarrassing questions like ‘is this the change we voted for?’ Coming just before an election, that could be quite costly, Mahinda maama.

Then, there is also the question of who you took with you on your journey. When you have so many to pick from, why did you choose the ‘miris kudu malli’ from Kelaniya to accompany you? Your opponents had a field day on social media speculating on what he must have said and done in India.

Surely, Mahinda maama, I hope it is not your way of thanking ‘miris kudu malli’ for what he did during the days of the constitutional crisis triggered by Cheerio Sirisena. That is a dark chapter in our history in which you were also unfortunately caught up- and is best forgotten, not celebrated.

The majority of those who voted for Gota maama believe that he would cleanse our political system of misfits such as ‘miris kudu malli’. They hope that, not being a politician before, he would be able to get rid of such elements who give politics a bad name and tarnish the image of better politicians.

So, when you take ‘miris kudu malli’ with you on a jaunt to India, people ask whether you are trying to travel on a different path. Are you trying to tellsus that Gota maama can have his say but you will have your way and that you still call the shots even though you are only the PM, Mahinda maama?

That is what some in the ‘pohottuwa’ party are also saying. They are annoyed that Gota maama and his ‘viyathmaga’ colleagues are being appointed to plum positions of power and privilege. They are worried that when it comes to nominating candidates for the election, there will be more of the same.

We have even heard of some saying that nominations will be given to those ‘who can win elections’ and not just to professionals. Is that your thinking as well, Mahinda maama? Honestly, I don’t think you need to worry about that because, regardless who runs the race, you are assured of victory.

That is because, in the Green camp, old Ranil and young Sajith and at each other’s throats, destroying the Grand Old Party. They are now fighting over the ‘aliya’ or elephant symbol, little realising that the elephant will die a natural death at the next elections if they don’t sink their differences quickly.

You are even able to dictate terms to Cheerio Sirisena and the Blue camp if they start making too many demands. I am quite sure neither Dayasiri nor even Cheerio Sirisena himself will make any noise about wanting to contest under the ‘hand’ symbol- they might even prefer the ‘pohottuwa’!

I hope you will choose your candidates wisely. There are a group of people- even in the ‘pohottuwa’ camp-who we don’t wish to see as our representatives. I think we all know who they are. We are all waiting to see whether you will have the courage to get rid of them once and for all, Mahinda maama.

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS- What is wrong with the people of Gampaha, Mahinda maama? They elected Greens like Ranjan, Chathura, and ‘Paba’ and Mervyn from the Blue camp. Now you have your ‘miris kudu malli’. Will you ask Gota maama to give nominations to him again and if you do, do you think he will say yes?