The Fifth Column

11th April 1999

Blues and greens see red

"Thaaththa", Bindu Udagedera asked, "what do you think of the election?"

"Well" said Percy; " at least they didn't have a curfew the next day…"

"But Thaaththa" Bindu wanted to know, " who won?"

"That depends on whose side you are on, Bindu…" "Why do you say that?" "If you are on the blue side you could say that you won all five provinces and that the election is an endorsement of the blue policies and Satellite's great leadership…" "And if you are on the green side?" "Then you could always say that you increased your vote by so much and won so many seats which were earlier held by the blues…"

"But then, thaaththa" Bindu was puzzled, "what is the truth?" "Well, both are true to a certain extent but the real truth is something else…"

"What's that?" "Certainly the blue are still ahead but their popularity is rapidly falling. The greens are gaining but that is not because they have performed well but because the people are fed up with the blues…"

"Then what will happen?" "If this trend continues the only people who will gain will be the reds as it has now happened in the Western Province…"

"Why is that, thaaththa?" Bindu wanted to know. "Why, Bindu, the people will say 'Unuth Ekai, Munuth Ekai' and vote for the reds…" "That's not a bad idea" Bindu suggested. "Of course not" Percy agreed "after all these years they now get a chance to have a say in decision making as it has happened in the Western Province and the people are waiting to see how they perform…"

"But thaaththa, the greens may not be unhappy with the gains they have made…"

"True" Percy agreed, "but they can't be very happy either. They are so near yet so far away from victory…"

"And they may have got control of the Central Province had they not antagonized Thonda with some silly stunt in Parliament some time ago…"

"And thaaththa the North Central Province was a walk-over for the blues…"

"Yes, so the greens have a lot of hard work to do…" "But thaaththa we must give credit to Satellite also?" "What for?" Percy demanded. "At least, after all that happened at Wayamba, she allowed a relatively very fair poll…" "Ah, yes" Percy agreed, " but I don't know whether she regrets it…"

"Why do you say that?" "Why, so many of her key people have lost the seats they organized…" "Who is that, thaaththa?" Bindu queried. "That list is very long, Bindu. C.V. has lost at Dehiwela, Ratnasiri has lost at Horana, Dharmasiri has lost at Dedigama, Nimal has lost at Borella, Fowzie has lost in Colombo North and Colombo Central, Anurudhdha has lost at Mahanuwara and even poor G.L. who recently went to Colombo East has lost there…"

"Maybe", Bindu said, "that is why they say that Satellite is thinking of reshuffling her Cabinet" Bindu said. "That wouldn't do any good" Percy observed. "Why do you say that, thaaththa?" "Why do you reshuffle a pack of cards, Bindu?" "To get a better hand, of course…"

"But, can you get a better hand if the pack has only jokers?" Percy wanted to know. Bindu didn't try to answer that one.

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