“Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, “what is happening to the Green party?”
“I wish I could answer that question, Bindu…” Bindu’s father Percy said.
“Why do you say that, thaaththa?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Why, they are still trying to decide who their leader is…” Percy observed.
“I thought Uncle Ranil was their leader…” Bindu said.
“But now,” Percy explained, “Uncle Sajith wants a different leader…”
“But thaaththa,” Bindu protested, “I thought they accepted Uncle Ranil as their leader only a few months ago…”
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“Yes, Bindu,” Percy said, “but now they want Karu seeya appointed as their leader…”
“So, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “the Greens want their leaders changed faster than Sri Lanka is changing its cricket captains…”
“It does look like it, Bindu…” Percy agreed.
“But why doesn't Uncle Sajith want the leadership now?” Bindu was curious.
“He did, at one time and that was when he challenged Uncle Ranil…” Percy recalled.
“So, why doesn’t he want it anymore?” Bindu demanded.
“Well,” Percy said, “on the last occasion he challenged Uncle Ranil, he backed out of an election at the eleventh hour…”
“Why was that, thaaththa?” Bindu wanted to know.
“That was when he realised that had there been an election for the leadership, he would have lost by a significant margin…” Percy explained.
“So, why is he asking for a new leadership once more, just a few months later?” Bindu was puzzled.
"He seems to think that by putting forward Karu seeya, he could get rid of Uncle Ranil…” Percy pointed out.
“Why, can Karu seeya win the leadership on his own?” Bindu asked.
“It doesn’t seem like it, or else we would have a different leader by now…” Percy declared.
“So, why are people then staging ‘satyagrahas’ demanding that Uncle Ranil should give up the leadership?” Bindu wondered.
“Well, they have the right to protest, I suppose…” Percy said.
“But thaaththa,” Bindu said, “Uncle Sajith is saying that if Karu seeya is appointed as the Green leader, they will win all the councils at the next elections…”
“That is like saying that if Sanath Jayasuriya is appointed as captain of our cricket team, we will win all our cricket matches…” Percy argued.
“This is a different Jayasuriya, thaaththa…” Bindu pointed out.
“But, Bindu,” Percy said, “what they don’t seem to realise is that, like cricket, this is also a team game…”
“What do you mean by that?” Bindu asked.
“Appointing a captain who has a good reputation alone does not guarantee success, Bindu…” Percy said.
“That depends on who the captain is, thaaththa…” Bindu argued.
“How could you say that?” Percy demanded.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu pointed out, “just look at what has happened to the Blues…”
“Why, what about them?” Percy asked.
“I think the reason why they are doing so well and winning match after match is because their captain is in terrific form…” Bindu observed.
“There is some truth in that,” Percy conceded, “because their other players are not playing particularly well…”
“So, thaaththa,” Bindu asked, “why can’t the same happen with the Greens?”
“What do you mean by that?” Percy inquired.
“Isn’t it then possible that, just as Uncle Sajith says, the Greens could also reverse their fortunes if they change their captain?” Bindu wanted to know.
“I suppose you could argue that way…” Percy said, “but then, the new captain they choose must be able to challenge Mahinda maama himself…”
“That will be a difficult task…” Bindu conceded.
“And don’t forget, Bindu,” Percy said, “it was Karu seeya himself who led the last election campaign for the Greens which they lost so badly…”
“I am not sure I understand that, thaaththa…” Bindu said.
“Why is that, Bindu?” Percy asked.
“If what you are saying is correct, thaaththa,” Bindu pointed out, “Karu seeya led the last election campaign for the Greens and they lost badly…”
“That is what happened indeed,” Percy agreed.
“And then, they are blaming Uncle Ranil for that defeat and demanding a new leadership…” Bindu observed.
“I’m afraid you are correct…” Percy conceded.
“And then they are saying that Karu seeya should be appointed the new leader…” Bindu recalled.
“That is certainly what they are saying…” Percy said.
“And then they are saying that if Karu seeya is given the leadership, they will win the next round of elections handsomely…” Bindu remembered.
“That seems to be their argument…” Percy agreed.
“Thaaththa,” Bindu said, “wasn’t there some talk about someone betraying the Greens and working according to a plan suggested by Mahinda maama ?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Yes,” Percy said, “there was some talk about a conspiracy theory similar to that…”
“But thaaththa,” Bindu pointed out, “even Mahinda maama wouldn’t be able to suggest a great plan like that which is guaranteed to help the Blues and not the Greens…”
Percy didn’t quite know what to say to that.
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