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KK is okay with all: Mantra behind his impressive 50,000 votes
K K Piyadasa got 47,543 votes, more than some leading candidates
Kaladugoda Kankanamge Piyadasa, or K.K. Piyadasa, a former parliamentarian and businessman who contested the September 21 presidential election as an independent candidate, has had the good fortune of coming seventh in a contest with 37 other candidates, ahead of some high-profile ones.
He won 47,543 votes (0.36%) of votes polled with no televised speeches, election meetings, cutouts or pamphlets but beat several established politicians, including former army commander Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, former Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapaksha, former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) candidate Nuwan Bopage, and in some electorates entrepreneur turned politician Dilith Jayaweera.
The one-time UNP Nuwara Eliya district MP found support from voters in areas such as Jaffna, Batticaloa, Kandy, and Nuwara Eliya. He also obtained more than 1000 votes in all districts except Polonnaruwa, where he secured 824 votes.
“I am someone who travelled a great deal in the North and East and got to know many people from these areas as part of my business in the hotel trade. The people who voted for me know that I am a man who treats everyone equally irrespective of ethnic, religious, or other differences, “Mr. Piyadasa told the Sunday Times.
Having been born to a poor family in a village in Hakmana in the Matara District, he began to travel to various parts of the country from a young age, engaging in different businesses before deciding to settle down in Nuwara Eliya in 1971. He has lived there ever since. His business now includes several small hotels.
“I got interested in politics being an ardent admirer of Dudley Senanayake from my young days. I engaged in United National Party activity at the grassroots level and became acquainted with the district’s leading politicians, including Gamini Dissanayake, Anura Bandaranaike, and S. Thondaman,” he said.
He got actively involved in politics in 1994, successfully contested for the Central Provincial Council, and became its opposition leader. He was first elected to Parliament in 2001 from the Nuwara Eliya District, having obtained 54,206 votes. In the snap general election that followed in 2004, Mr. Piyadasa contested and lost his seat. He also contested and lost in 2010 but won a seat in the 2015 general election, securing 48,365 votes in the district.
“During my time as an MP, I have helped the people of Nuwara Eliya to the best of my ability. I bought 476 coffins for needy families and helped poor families to build homes and obtain electricity connections,” he said. His proficiency in Tamil also helped him to connect with many people, including those in his district, he said.
Mr. Piyadasa’s mantra in and out of parliament has been to maintain cordial relations with all, irrespective of their party affiliations. ”In my years in parliament, I had not slandered anyone. We have to be humane towards everyone and work in the name of humanity,” he said.
What does Mr. Piyadasa tell those who say that he got close to 50,000 votes because the calculator symbol under which he contested may have been mistaken by some voters for a telephone, the symbol of Samagi Jana Balawegaya? “I don’t think people who voted for me made any such mistake. I secured over 50,000 votes when I contested for parliament only from my district. Hence some people know me,” he said.
At the age of 75, Mr. Piyadasa says this would be the last time he would be contesting an election. His only son, K.K. Lahiru Madushanka—he has four daughters too—has taken over his political mantle and is making a mark as a UNP politician in the area.
He has entrusted his businesses to his five children. “I thought of contesting after seeing many others who were vying for the presidency,” he said, adding that he’s surprised but pleased that he’s done better than most of the others who contested the election.
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