5th Column

My dear Chaminda,

I am writing to you after having heard that you had taken everyone by surprise by resigning your seat in Parliament this week. In a country where no one retires or steps down even when they are well past their retirement age, but attempts to cling on to power forever, this came as quite a shock to most of us.

To be honest, we had heard of you only in passing until this week. In Parliament, you made the odd speech that made headlines. You once made the news when you were suspended a year ago when you tried to assault Lansa. Until then, the only Chaminda we were familiar with was Chaminda Vaas!

At first glance, what you did seems so noble. You say you resigned because people had lost faith in the 225 ‘honourable’ Members of Parliament. You say you are resigning because people are cursing even the children of these 225 members – and you don’t wish that curse upon your own children.

Despite these lofty explanations, you still have a few questions to answer. You may recall, the sentiment that all 225 MPs in Parliament should be sacked was at its peak during the ‘aragalaya’ that ousted Gota maama one and a half years ago. You didn’t resign then. So, why should you resign now?

In your resignation speech, you gave no hint of any disputes within the ‘telephone’ party, although we know that the discussions in the party room are quite heated these days. In fact, you made glowing references to your boss Sajith saying that he was not only a good leader but also like a father to you.

If everything was so hunky-dory in your party, if your relationship with your leader was excellent, why would you, after being with the party during its most difficult days, suddenly think of resigning your precious seat in Parliament when a general election is due in a little more than a year?    

Pardon us for not taking you at face value, Chaminda. These days, we can trust only a handful of our politicians. Your explanation for your resignation seems too good to be true. When that happens, it usually is. That is the reason why many do not believe you. They offer different reasons instead.

On the one hand we know that your boss Sajith is talking to the ‘Nidahasa’ chaps and is very keen to get them on to your side. That means that Dilan too will join the ‘telephone’ camp and contest from its list in the Badulla district. That significantly reduces your chances of re-election, doesn’t it?

On the other hand, there is speculation that you have done a deal with the chap who has succeeded you on the Badulla District list in the current Parliament. After all, unlike you, he is a high-flying businessman with commercial interests Down Under, so he must be having plenty of cash to splash.

Why most MPs don’t want to quit early is because they lose their pension unless they serve five years. That doesn’t apply to you because you first became an MP more than 8 years ago. Did someone advise you that, instead of fighting for ‘manaapa’, there is a much easier way to get re-elected?

You can play the role of the ‘principled politician’, resign and shock everyone and gain some publicity in the process. Now, everyone is talking about you. You win some sympathy too thereby ensuring you get re-elected. Who knows, you may even get financial help from the chap who succeeded you!

Some people do think that this is indeed what is happening. Another interesting fact has also come to light. The chap who succeeded you owned a franchise in the recently concluded LPL cricket tournament. Now, wasn’t that promoted by Shammi whose sacking Sajith was seeking so earnestly?

Your resignation has also led people to question whether Sajith is trying to commit political suicide by inviting these ‘pohottuwa’ drop-outs into his camp. The thought of seeing Harsha and Nalaka as well as Jayasumana and Rauff on the same platform exposes your hypocrisy. It will drive some voters away.

When Gota maama offered Sajith the Premiership, he declined. People called him ‘aasayi, bayayi’ (eager but afraid). Sajith’s response was that he was ‘lejjayi, bayayi’ (ashamed and scared) to govern with the ‘pohottuwa’ chaps. With the influx of the ‘Nidahasa’ chaps, isn’t he doing just that now?

Like you, many backbenchers in the ‘telephone’ party are having sleepless nights, wondering how they will secure enough ‘manaapa’ to ensure re-election because the ‘Nidahasa’ chaps have invaded their electorates. Uncle Ranil must be happy. He can now easily lure them back to the Green party.

Chaminda, the Badulla District where you hail from is unlucky for the ‘telephone’ party. It has now lost both Vadivel and you, not to mention Harin though he was on the National List. This is the season of silly resignations and crossovers. You are only the first. I am sure there will be many more to come!

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS: You said in your resignation speech that when a crocodile washed up near the Diyawanna Oya, you overhead people saying that it should ‘bite all of the 225’. Depending on what follows after your resignation, that sentiment will not change. In fact, it might reinforce those thoughts even more!