Back to the village: Rukman’s plan for UNP

The UNP base from its inception has been in the village. Till about the 1960s the cities were controlled by the left parties. After that it changed and we had the village and we took over the cities. But since late we found that at the village levels things are becoming very dormant. That is the problem that we have to identify and rectify. That I think should be done by building up a leadership from the grass root level, electoral level, and district level. You have to give them a hearing in the party, power in the party. Their voice should be heard and their views respected.

Rukman Senanayake, the grandson of D.S. Senanayake who was the founder of the UNP – will formally take over as the Party’s new Chairman on November 19.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Mr. Senanayake said his new job was a “great responsibility”, that he would be an “active chairman” and would do his best to revitalise the UNP at the grass root levels.

Following are excerpts of the interview:

How does it feel to be the Chairman of a party founded by your grandfather 60 years ago?

It’s a great responsibility. I am very thankful for having been given this responsibility. It is my job to see that organisations at grass root levels are strengthened, revitalised and forms a sort of a bridge between the hierarchy and grass root level leadership. This I hope to do with the consent of the UNP leadership.

What do you think went wrong with the UNP down the line? Today it appears as if the party had isolated the rural masses who once formed its voter base?

The UNP was a multi ethnic party that embraced all the national communities. Is it still the case?

The UNP was formed with the participation of the Ceylon National Congress, the Sinhala Maha Sabha, the Tamil Congress and other political parties. At the time there was a great need to unite the entire nation and this was successfully accomplished under the guidance of D.S. Senanayake and since then the UNP had always kept it that way.

What about representation, say for example in Parliament, where only few members of the minority communities are accommodated by the UNP?

That is because of this electoral system where minority political parties have emerged and they are holding on claiming their vote base. This has somewhat eroded the vote base of both the UNP and also the SLFP. But it has definitely affected the UNP even more because the UNP always had a nearly 100 per cent minority support. That is not because of the lack of commitment on the part of the UNP but because of the emergence of minority parties.

You are the Chairman of the party. Will your position be that of a figurehead or will you be entrusted with responsibilities?

I do not hope to be a figurehead chairman. I will be an active chairman. The party leader wants me to be actively involved and I will devote a lot of time for party activities.

You have been someone who has advocated the concept of a national government between the two main parties – the SLFP and the UNP?

No, not a national government. What I really advocated was and this is also my personal view since the 1980s that this country cannot afford to have this traditional government and opposition form of governance going on.

The multi party system must stay as it is essential for a viable democracy with each party having its contribution towards it. But after the people’s verdict at elections, you have to form what is called an “all party government”.

It’s not something you can do over night. You have to change the entire structure. A similar system existed in the State Council, where Mr. Senanayake was a Minister from one party, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike was a Minister from another party and G.G. Ponambalam was from another. We walked united hand in hand to gain independence for our motherland and that achievement was made possible because of agreement.

It is viable. But a lot of commitment is needed from both the parties. People must be made aware that it is not the dissolution of one party at the expense of the other or a subjugating of one party by another, but is a form of collective responsibility.

I personally believe that we have to take it step by step see how practical it is and accordingly change the constitution to make it a workable system. That I think is the best solution for the country.

Is the recently concluded SLFP/UNP talks and the decision to sign an MOU a step in that direction?

These particular discussions were centred on identifying six major issues and an agreement was reached. An MOU will be signed soon. What then needs to be done is to evolve a structure by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. What the delegations have done is given a general outline of the structure. If it is to be workable, the two leaders will have to give it meaning.

There must be some concerns that the UNP will lose its role as the main opposition and the JVP might occupy that position.

The structure we are talking about is that while remaining in the opposition to also have a working arrangement with the government on major issues. Whether we are going to do that within the government or outside the government is something both leaders must decide.

The two leaders will have to work out the details. We are the second largest party in Parliament and our main responsibility is to be an effective and constructive opposition.

How long do you think it will take for the UNP to get back on its feet and return to power after the electoral setbacks it has suffered in recent years?

In 1956 we lost very badly and got only eight seats in Parliament. Then people said the UNP is finished and that the final nail has been put in its coffin. But within four years the UNP was back forming the government in March 1960. So if you properly organise things, you can come back. I don’t think you can destroy this party. Its base is well entrenched withinn the people and what needs to be done is to motivate them.

The party has been having its share of internal problems. What is the position now?

When a party gets defeated at elections these things are normal. Now discussions have taken place and mending of fences has been done. Some small problems remain but there is nothing that cannot be sorted out. My job is also to see that all these groups are brought in and their views are heard and bring about unity.

In 1970 when Dudley Senanayake was defeated, problems emerged within the UNP. Mr. Senanayake and J.R. Jayewardena worked together and took the party forward again, despite differences of opinion among them. Similarly the differences can be worked out.