5th Column

Mahinda praises Reds knowing well they opposed him
My Dear Mahinda,
I thought I should be writing to you now that you have been appointed to the second highest office in the land. Congratulations are in order especially since you nearly didn't get the job!

I know Mahinda that you hardly have any time to celebrate. You have just a few days to put together a majority to demonstrate that you enjoy the confidence of the House. I know most of us have confidence in you but whether we have confidence in your coalition of convenience is a separate issue…

I noticed that when you addressed the nation you made very special mention of the fact that it was the Reds who made the difference in your victory. Technically, that is true but that sounded rather strange coming from a man who is used to speaking his mind, especially since the Reds protested at your own appointment…

But then, Mahinda, we understand this is the time for making deals even with those you hate for the purpose of remaining in office but we also hope you will be able to act independently as PM, instead of giving in to all the Red demands…

Mahinda, we heard you also say that you will not move in to Temple Trees, that you will leave the job in four months and that you have even given Satellite an undated letter of resignation and these are indeed very worrying matters.

We can understand Satellite's anxieties because she wants to return to the House as PM and also because she doesn't really trust you as you were never her best friend. But, to ask you not to move in to your official residence and then also ask for an undated letter of resignation is rather undignified of the lady, isn't it?

Of course, it only makes us realise that in all the dozens of years that Blues ruled this country, the rulers have been either father, mother or daughter-and not even the son for that matter! Ratnasiri did have your job for a while but then, he was merely following orders wasn't he? However Mahinda, we think the toughest challenge you will face will not be as PM in trying to ensure the survival of your new government. It will instead be in trying to ensure the survival of the Blues in the face of the progress of the Reds.

After all, even though your 'Alliance' has won the election, the Blues have lost a sizeable section of their vote to the Reds as indicated by the preference voting which is why you have only about sixty MPs from the blue ranks. This is apparently something that Satellite worries little about.

But this is also why you are the best man for the job because neither Kadir, nor the Clown Prince could have really resisted the Reds trying to take over the Blues. So we wish you the best of luck-and you will need all the luck you can get!

Yours truly,
Punchi Putha
PS-Of course, there is an easier way to ensure you stay in your job for more than four months and that is to stall the constitutional reforms that will bring Satellite back to the House. Someone tells me you have already thought about it. Is that true, Mahinda?

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