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Poor Dhammika Perera, who was touted as the SLPP’s presidential hope. For months on end, he had been kept tied in reserve as the party’s biblical scapegoat to be ritualistically piled with the sins of the tribe and then released into the electoral wilderness to propitiate the people’s wrath with the innocent blood of an unwary goat.

But as fates would have it, the best laid plans of the Rajapaksa’s went terribly awry at the eleventh hour, when Dhammika wised up to the SLPP game plan on the eve of the grand declaration, announcing him as its choice candidate; and, realising he wasn’t prepared to gamble his affluent life at the sacrificial altar for all the treasure in Ali Baba’s trove of smuggled gold, hastily pulled out in the nick of time.

He was fortunate, as Lady Luck who had rocketed him to become Lanka’s wealthiest man, came to his rescue once again to save a fool and his money from being swiftly rendered apart.

He sent a letter on August 6 night stating; he was withdrawing as the SLPP’s candidate for personal reasons. Wise man to make his excuses and leave, even at the last hour.

For the Rajapaksas, frugality begins at home, and remains there, with their luxurious public lifestyle financed by public funds. With Mr. Money Bags now gone, the grand Nelum Pokuna venue chosen to stage Dhammika’s coronation as the SLPP’s presidential candidate, was swiftly abandoned for the more austere and humble surroundings of Battaramulla’s Nelum Mawatha in the medamidhula inside party headquarters. There, in an open-air simple ceremony, the SLPP’s crown and sceptre fell seamlessly upon the head and into the hand of the son and heir of the Rajapaksa dynastic line.

Immediately after party secretary Sagara Kariyawasam had proclaimed him as SLPP’s candidate, Namal made a dash to his seated father to worship and kiss him, and then turning towards Basil Bappi worshipped him in thanks, perhaps, for engineering so artfully, the rise of the Crown Prince.

Though Gota nor Chamal was present at this mainly family affair, SLPP MP Tissa Kuttiarachchi hailed Namal for being the youngest ever to win SLPP’s supreme spurs as the party’s selected presidential candidate. ‘It is a historic record’, he gushed, with all the force of a devoted sycophant, ‘in the whole of Lanka’s annals’. It would have been an unbeatable record, indeed, had Mahinda crowned his son and heir at birth. Pity.

There were no politburo meetings this time to decide who the best candidate would be in the event of another SLPP MP making a last-minute attempt to cast his lot into the ring. But there was nought to fear, since its controversial decision last week had served to drive most of SLPP’s gang of merriest men into the waiting arms of Ranil Wickremesinghe, leaving a significant dearth of hands on the SLPP’s burning deck. But no matter. The best kept open family secret was finally revealed and sprung as a surprise, no less, on a people, bored with stale news.

Namal Rajapaksa had inherited the family crown by the divine law and custom of ‘primogeniture’—to the eldest born male, the whole—as was practised, with some exceptions, in feudal Lanka; and still is in Britain and in some European states.

Was Dhammika used as a red herring to allay charges of nepotism which would have been levelled if Namal had been chosen? Was Dhammika dumped at the last moment and asked to quit? Perhaps the whole drama was staged to the exact letter and spirit of the written script, perhaps it wasn’t? It will remain a secret family heirloom, locked up and lost in a chest of myriad skeletons. The people will have to take at face value whatever is dished.

CROWNING GLORY: Moments after being proclaimed as SLPP’s candidate by default, Namal dutifully worships fond pappa and Basil bappi

As the exuberant pappa emerged from the open-air family function, he told waiting reporters, ‘Of course I am happy. Who wouldn’t be, now that we have selected the winning candidate?’ Asked whether there were no other strong candidates, he said, ‘There were, but he was stronger than the rest.’ He mockingly laughed off if Ranil posed a challenge to Namal. And to those MPs who left in droves, he issued an open invite to return to the fold to support Namal.

With Mahinda’s salon swing doors remaining wide open for those who had left to return, fears erupted in Ranil’s camp if the merry band of forlorn turncoats who had arrived in droves at Ranil’s door to express unstinted support would be incentivised to turn coat again to head for home to embrace both Mahinda and Namal; and seeking atonement on bended knees for their treacherous sin of betrayal, receive dispensation; and graciously welcomed back as the ‘returning prodigal sons’.

But with many deserters, including senior ministers, publicly announcing, they will—for once—stand by their lofty principle to stay united with Ranil, joining his great quest to save Sri Lanka.  Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said on Wednesday, ‘Only yesterday, Mahinda told me, Namal is a pissa.’

With deserters expressing similar acidic sentiments, it is likely, the swing doors will permanently stay shut for them. As such, fears in Ranil’s camp of a mass U-turn, have failed to materialise, so far.

If the Rajapaksas had entertained high hopes that the deserting swarm of bees will return to their barren comb, they will be highly dismayed when they realise, the feudal slaves have broken their shackles and sought another harness elsewhere to plough this time for Mother Lanka under Ranil’s whip.

The final straw that broke the SLPP back, came when the woman who virtually worshiped the ground Mahinda walked on, the longstanding staunchest Mahinda devotee, Ratnapura’s Pavithradevi had her faith in her idol completely shattered beyond revival. In the aftermath of Namal’s ascendency to SLPP’s throne, she willed herself to finally break up, and walked out on him to embrace the latest rage in town, Ranil’s mission to save Lanka.

It was a stunning blow to the newly crowned prince, who had told reporters, ‘Though party leaders may change their party, SLPP supporters never change.’ Pavithra gave the lie to Namal’s assertion, when she said in her farewell note, ‘Most of the SLPP supporters have told me to join Ranil. When making crucial decisions, I always listen to the people and party members of the Ratnapura district who work with me. Therefore, though I’m still an SLPP member, I will support Ranil to build our motherland’.

Make no mistake, she would have spent long agonising hours burning the midnight candle to reach this heartbreaking decision to finally split up for the sake of building Lanka.

Funny, how those who crossed over, all say it is to save or build Lanka? Wonder what they were busy with in Parliament for these long years paid by the public purse? Indulging in corruption as their favourite pastime or merely scraping coconuts, full time?

Former test caps Hashan and Vaas get on Sajith’s SJB train Seven political parties join Samagi Jana Sandhanaya Currently the Sajith-led SJB train seems to be gathering more carriages of support as it smoothly puffs away to the election buffers next month. A massive alliance unified on Thursday to pledge its support to Sajith Premadasa in an almost three-hour ceremony held at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. The grand alliance known as Samagi Jana Sandhanaya, spanning the wide spectrum of varied religious, racial and political backgrounds, comprised MP Rauff Hakeem, leader of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, MP Mano Ganeshan, leader of the Democratic People’s Front and leader of the Tamil Progressive Alliance, MP Radhakrishnan, leader, Upcountry People’s Front, MP Digambaran, leader, National Union of Workers, MP Dayasiri Jayasekera, legally recognised Secretary SLFP, MP Dulles Alahapperuma, leader, Freedom People’s Congress, and World Cup winning Test captain Arjuna Ranatunga, leader, Purawasihadha Bahujana Vyaparaya, and included other civil activist groups. Professor G. L. Peiris also joined the new alliance, as leader, Nidahas Sabha. After Sajith had signed the pact on stage, along with SJB Secretary Madduma Bandara, each party leader was individually invited upon the dais to sign the Sandhanaya pact of allegiance. Once the solemn signing ritual was over, they stood lined in a row with Sajith, to affirm—with each right hand clasped to each breast—the newborn Samagi Jana Sandhanaya’s strict code of discipline and moral rectitude. THE GRAND ALLIANCE: The August 8th birth of the Samagi Jana Sandhanaya It was then the turn of party leaders to make their speeches. After they had finished, the final closing speech was left for SJB leader Sajith to make his. Touching on many facets, he said on corruption, ‘We will not only bring to justice those who have plundered the country’s wealth but also set up a mechanism, to bring back to the country every dollar they stole. After speaking on the burning issues that faced the people in all walks of life, he ended his address, saying: Come join us. Be strengthened. Yes, we can win. Not only election triumphs but enter an era where everyone wins by building this country.’ Among the latest passengers to get on Sajith’s train, is former Sri Lankan cricket captain Hashan Tillakaratne and his wife Apsara. Another former cricket captain climbed aboard the speedy train, the legendary fast bowler Chaminda Vaas that day itself. Also joining the team World Cup winning captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, who joined the grand alliance, Samagi Jana Sandhanaya on August 8. He did not come alone but brought with him his team of vociferous civil activists. They are ready with bat and ball and an efficient fielding side and swear they will clinch the match when played nationwide on 21st September morn. But what they say in cricket, also holds true in elections: None can predict victory or defeat until the last ballot is cast.

UNP decides not to contest electionThe UNP Working Committee decided not to field a candidate of their own, lest it will quiver the pitch for their leader who is independently contesting the September elections. But would Ranil have been worried even if they had the nerve to field one against him? Nay. In the midst of parties breaking up around his shining star, it’s remarkable how he has held the loyalty of his herd, even when he has gone rogue. In defeat or in victory, they trumpet fulsome praise never failing to keep the pitch and tone as they sing their sonorous song. Worried? Not in the least. Except for a quirk of fate that caused a parting of ways with a rebellious group within the fold, he has kept his party intact for the last thirty years. To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, ‘He could always drive his herd away for he knew he could always trumpet them back.’ Remarkable, indeed, for a man who has been accused of breaking up other parties by the dozen. Namal Rajapaksa recently accused him of breaking up countless parties, including the SLPP. When asked by reporters, if that wasn’t ingratitude, considering how much the SLPP has done to make him President, Namal’s reply was ‘no, with the SLPP, it wasn’t on purpose but by habit.’ Newly crowned Namal ain’t seen nothing yet. If that is the badge of party-wrecker, Ranil is forced to flaunt, a few days later, he ate the whole Pohottuwa lot for breakfast, give or take a few rotten eggs, even at the risk of indigestion. Now the mature, experienced Ranil, who was in Parliament, years before Namal was a twinkle in his papa’s eyes, has been compelled to cross toy swords, with a lad who only became eligible to contest presidential elections three years ago. The duel with him must seem to Ranil, like stealing candy from a kid. Especially now that he had cut the sod under Namal feet by poaching appachchi’s steadfast knights to willingly come to his door. An emboldened, empowered for better or worse Ranil stands today with the full weight of the presidency behind him ready for the battle to begin. Behind him stand born and bred UNP knights of his Pretorian Guard, ready to die for him or die with him. Flanking him on either side—all for the sake of saving the country—is the Pohottuwa Front of merry men, ready to fly from him if things turn sour. A UNP advance guard of trumpeters has already been dispatched to blow his praise to persuade the foe to lay down arms and join him to build a better land with IMF aid or face being crushed. As he awaits in that silvery dawn for the bugle to sound and the battle to begin, he peers forth and sees no foe and loftily says, ‘I see no competition’. But there is one unseen hand, foes and he alike must fear, at whose mercy they lie. It is the unseen hand that wields not the bullet but the ballot.