A series of top-level party meetings took place this week with President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse issuing warnings to members who are on the fence.

On Tuesday, the PA parliamentary group met at President's House with President Kumaratunga in the chair. The President wasted no time in firing out salvos at possible defectors. She said she knew that some of the members wanted to weaken the party by defecting enmasse to the UNF. "These people have one leg in the SLFP and the other in the UNP. I am asking these people to leave the party immediately," an angry President said.

Scoffing at UNP claims that 23 PA parliamentarians would cross over to the government benches at the right time, the President said, "I don't think they will get such a big number. May be one or two disgruntled members will go."

Probably disturbed by reports that some of the possible defectors were not happy with the President's leadership, Ms. Kumaratunga said she would not leave the party and if anyone dared to throw her out of the party, they could do it on Friday when the SLFP executive committee met.

The President then took up the deputy leader issue - an issue that has split the party right down the middle. One section of the party says that a deputy leader should be elected by the party now so that he or she could be groomed as the party's 2005 presidential candidate while the other section says it is imprudent to elect a deputy leader now because it will only intensify a battle for the post.

The President appears to hold the view of the latter group. Dismissing newspaper reports as false, she told in the parliamentary group that the party had no urgent need for a deputy leader. "The exco meeting on Friday is convened to ratify the election of SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena and not to elect a deputy leader," she said.

The President was visibly angry. She again hit out at the possible defectors. She said that if they wanted to remain in the party, they should abide by the party constitution and respect the leader. "Don't give ammunition to our opponents to attack us. If anyone wants to go, the door is open," the President told a silent audience.

However, breaking the silence was Gampaha district parliamentarian Sarana Gunewardena though he was not talking to the President. He was rather talking to himself. Irritated by this, the President told him if he had to say anything, he could directly tell her. Mr. Gunewardena did not utter a word.

After the President ended her speech, the members urged the President to lead Thursday's protest rally. However, due to security reasons, the President did not attend the protest rally opposite the Fort Railway Station which was eventually led by Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse.

On Thursday, the SLFP central committee meeting was held at President's House. Again the topic that dominated the proceedings was the possible defection of SLFP members. Prior to this meeting, the President had inquired from Mr. Rajapakse whether Kurunegala District parliamentarian S. B. Navinna and two SLFP MPs had met Minister S. B. Dissanayake. At the central committee meeting, Mr. Rajapakse inquired from Mr. Navinna whether the allegation was true. Mr. Navinna told him that he had no intention to leave the party. Neither did he meet Mr. Dissanayake.

Mr. Rajapakse said that it was the President who wanted to find out about it and he decided to inquire about it because he wanted to rid the party of dissident groups.
"There is a group within the party, which puts the group interest before party interest. They are carrying out a subtle campaign through a party-affiliated newspaper to discredit certain people.

Last week, the paper carried a story, saying the President was contemplating the dissolution of the government in December. Such stories only help strengthen the UNP. I strongly feel, it is part of a conspiracy," Mr. Rajapakse charged.

Taking objection to the opposition leader's remarks was Reggie Ranatunga. He said the paper Mr. Rajapakse referred to was an independent one and not a party paper. His view was endorsed by Mangala Samaraweera.

"How can it be independent," Mr. Rajapakse retorted. "It is run by Sripathi Suriyarachchi, who is an SLFP exco member. He should not use his paper to create dissent in the party and criticise me, while being a party member," he said adding that he would ask the central committee to initiate disciplinary action against him.

Mr. Rajapakse then left the meeting. A few minutes later, the President walked in. The members related to her Mr. Rajapakse complaint about Mr. Suriyarachchi. They also discussed about Friday's exco-meeting and there was a suggestion that they should fix an agenda for the meeting.

The President shot down the idea and said that it was not necessary as the meeting was convened to ratify the election of the party's new general secretary and to discuss the restructuring programme which is to be launched in July.
But a secret programme to weaken the UNP has already begun.

Some SLFP stalwarts were in the forefront of this campaign which they hope to carry out with the help of the JVP. While Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was in London, briefing his British counterpart Tony Blair on the peace moves in Sri Lanka, SLFP frontliners Mangala Samaraweera and Nimal Siripala de Silva were in London meeting the JVP's self-exiled leader Somawansa Amarasinghe, who virtually became a liability for the party during the PA-JVP probationary rule ahead of the December polls.

Facilitating the meeting the SLFP-JVP meeting in London was none other than the President's close confidant Ronnie Pieris. The SLFP duo held a series of meetings with Mr. Somawansa at Mr. Pieris's London residence and at Lihiniya, a Sri Lankan restaurant run by an SLFP's London branch leader. They discussed about strategies to topple the UNF government. They were later joined by Anura Bandaranaike.

The possibility of a PA-JVP political alliance was also discussed at this meeting, but details of the talks were still sketchy.

While some SLFPers are hell bent on crushing the UNF government, there are others who are openly supporting the government's peace move. PA parliamentarian and former Education Minister Richard Pathirana and Baddegama Samitha Thera were seen at a government mobile service in Galle. The event was organised by Public Administration Minister Vajira Abeywardene who invited the PA duo in their capacity as Galle District parliamentarians.

During the lunch break, Mr. Jayasuriya asked Mr. Pathirana to join him. They travelled together in Mr. Jayasuriya's vehicle to a state bungalow where they had their lunch. At the evening public gathering, Mr. Pathirana said he was always for peace whether it was spearheaded by Chandrika or Ranil. "I am ready to back the peace process without any conditions," he said. - Courtesy Irida Lankadeepa

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