Year on the Web
Year on the Web
Thursday: Sent a message to all the voters asking them to vote for peace and prosperity — us, of course. CV is complaining that Srimani is not participating in the campaign though I heard she is in hospital looking after her daughter who has had appendicitis. Anyway, managed to pacify CV saying I will think about a Cabinet reshuffle....
Friday: Went to vote early, because I didn't want to meet Mallo on the way. After seeing me on TV, a lot of people called me to say I had worn the same blue saree they used for my campaign poster. But who can remember these things? And, I don't have that many sarees to go around either! Asked them not to wake me up to inform me of election results. I need a good rest after all the campaigning and I know we will win, somehow....
Saturday: The results are good, but we have lost Colombo and Kandy. It was a mistake to listen to Fowzie and run Ganesh in Colombo. Jeevan or even Arjuna would have been a better bet.
I am wondering what to do with Thonda. As he seems a liability I might as well let Ranil have him. Told GL to prepare a statement saying what a great victory this is, despite our percentage falling from 62 per cent to 49 per cent.
Sunday: The newspapers have called our win a "landslide," but the UNP and even Dinesh and the JVP are accusing us of rigging. Huh, the cheek of that fellow Gamini Atukorale to accuse us of rigging! I felt like telling him, "what you did all these years, we can do better...."
Monday: Arafat was here. Charming chap, he was, despite his age, but he was forever praising Amma and had almost forgotten me. But he did present me with a shawl and even wrapped it around my shoulders — unfortunately, in front of all the press and TV people. Had I known about this earlier, I would have had a head-dress ready for him and wrapped it around his head and I would have made international headlines....
Tuesday: GL has done it again. He has somehow twisted the statistics to say that we won 51 per cent of the vote! I know he was a law professor, but mathematics doesn't seem to be his strong point. Last time, I remember, he said postal rates were being raised by 25 per cent and increased it from one rupee to two rupees! But, he surely knows how to say what he says so convincingly, so it doesn't really matter....
Wednesday: I asked them to present the Draft Constitution. That says we will abolish the Presidency, and that the government will be headed by the Prime Minister. But of course, we must implement it only after I finish my first six years. And, even if I am forced to do it before that, I will make Amma the President and I will become the Prime Minister. Or, if that is not possible, I can always appoint DBW as President. I think I can trust him better than most of our chaps....
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