5th Column

My dear Uncle Ranil and Sajith,

I am writing to both of you because we hear rumours of you getting together and becoming one team, with only days to go for the big race. So far, they have been just that, rumours. For all the speculation in both camps, it will not happen. It makes us wonder why we are even talking of such a possibility.

What neither of you would like to admit is that, by contesting from two different camps, you are splitting the votes you get. The only benefit of that goes to the rathu sahodaraya. That is what those in both camps have realised. So, they are desperately trying to unite you but you are still not listening.

First, we saw the dentist with the big mouth switching camps. He was unhappy with you for many months, Sajith, and repeatedly threatened to leave. He finally did. Now he is praising you, Uncle Ranil and calling you names, Sajith. No one takes much notice because he switches sides all the time.

Next it was Thalatha. She wanted to be a martyr, so people will remember what she did and elect her to the next Parliament. So, instead of crossing-over, she resigned. It was what she said that was more damaging. She called you ‘immature’, Sajith, and said you were in a mighty hurry to get to the top.

Whether she makes it to the next Parliament or not, Thalatha will be rewarded. Rangey’s days are numbered. She will become General Secretary of the Greens without a contest. No wonder they call it the ‘Unge Nedeyange Pakshaya’, even the post of General Secretary passes from brother to sister!

Nevertheless, everyone took notice of what Thalatha said. She pointed out that, at a time when the Blue party doesn’t seem to even exist and the ‘pohottuwa’ had been split into three camps, if only the Greens were together, victory could have been yours, but you choose to be divided at this crucial time.

Thalatha says it is all your fault, Sajith. I disagree. You must share some responsibility, Uncle Ranil. If you recall, almost 50 years ago, JR had a similar problem in the Green party. He was the undisputed leader but many wanted to be No 2. There was Sajith’s father, EL and later, Gamini and Lalith.

JR would have been more at ease with someone like Lalith or Gamini as his deputy, but he let the popular will in the party prevail and gave Sajith’s father his due place. It was a bold move for the elitist Greens. Uncle Ranil, you didn’t do so for Sajith but then, you are not as smart as JR was!

Uncle Ranil, you missed another chance. Remember DB who, like you, became an accidental President when Sajith’s father died? He united the Greens who were divided after the impeachment, taking Gamini back. You could have held out an olive branch to Sajith when you became the boss too.

Instead, Uncle Ranil, you teamed up with the ‘pohottuwa’. You will say you had to, because they ‘elected’ you. Still, you could have slowly asked the ‘telephone’ chaps to join you, got rid of the more obnoxious ‘pohottuwa’ fellows and dissolved Parliament at the earliest opportunity if they made a fuss.

Look at what the ‘pohottuwa’ has done to you now, Uncle Ranil. Their party and Namal baby’s future was more important to them. They stabbed you in the back at the last moment, putting forward Namal baby as a candidate. If you reconciled with the ‘telephone’ chaps, I daresay you would be better off.

Perhaps you were misled by young Harin and Manusha who belittled the ‘telephone’ chaps to score brownie points with you, Uncle Ranil. You also made another mistake: you didn’t resurrect the Green party in the past two and half years while you were the boss. That is why you are in this plight today.

That is not to say, Sajith, that you are not to blame. Your leadership style is reminiscent of your father. You might reflect on the fact that he didn’t endear himself to the masses after he became the big boss. Even if his style did suit his time, a ‘me, myself and I’ attitude is not acceptable now, 30 years later.

It is time you understand, Sajith, that the top job is not a family heirloom to be passed on from parent to child. It may have been 70 years ago when it passed on from DS to Dudley, and even 30 years ago when it went from Sirima to Satellite but not anymore. Namal baby should realise this too.

Both of you, Ranil and Sajith, do have something in common. You are surrounded by people who tell you both, you will win. So, you don’t see the rathu sahodarayas sneaking up on you. You could be fighting with each other for the runners-up position but remember, this is a winner takes it all race!

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS: United you stand, but divided you fall. Though both of you may realise this, there is a reason why you will never unite now before the big race. If you were to be one team, you won’t be able to agree on who would be the big boss and who be second in command, can you, Uncle Ranil and Sajith?