My dear Uncle Ranil,

I am writing to you because you are in the headlines again, appearing in court because of a trip you undertook to England a few years ago. That has resulted in more trips to court now and even a trip to hospital where, at first, we feared the worst after your lawyers told court you were on borrowed time.

Nevertheless, even before your most recent court appearance we saw you out and about, visiting the chief priests in Kandy and several other places of worship. When a politician does that, we know that something is afoot. Some said it was a strategy to build up public support before your case was heard.

I won’t comment on the case itself. That is a matter for people versed in the intricacies of the law. Being a lawyer yourself, you know that only too well. However, you should also keep a close watch on those who are battling for you outside the courtroom. At times, they can do more harm than good. 

For instance, when someone said you had only a ‘balcony’ seat at that graduation ceremony some foot soldiers in your army of social media warriors circulated a photo of a person seated on stage, claiming it was you. That was clearly a ‘sudda’. Sometimes, the defence can be worse than the ‘offence’!

What interested me more, Uncle Ranil, was a comment you made even before your case was taken up. Asked by the media to comment on an issue, you smiled and said you were not in politics any more. Always being the political animal that you are, we know that you don’t utter such words carelessly

Your comment has excited many people, especially in the ‘telephone’ party. They feel that you have decided, at last, to hand over the baton to young Sajith, just like your Uncle JR decided to pass the baton to Sajith’s father. They want history to repeat itself, a generation- and nearly forty years- later.  

Still, the last time we heard a similar statement from you was when the Greens were crushed at the general election six years ago and reduced to just a solitary seat. You said you will stay at home and talked of a ‘Leadership Council’ to groom the next Green leader. Many thought you had ‘retired hurt’.

Months later, when the Greens started bickering as usual about who should fill that single seat, you came forward and offered your services once again. That put you in the right place at the right time. When Gota maama was forced to flee you were PM. The rest, as they say, is history now.

The Greens and the ‘telephone’ chaps have been talking for months now, with nothing to show for it except a few photos and social media posts. Interestingly, Sajith himself represents the ‘telephone’ chaps but you have sent your ‘A’ team. Does it mean you have people you can trust but he doesn’t?

We are told the stumbling block for a reunion is your proposal that all opposition parties should join in a single alliance if they are to defeat the ‘maalimaawa’ at the next big elections. We hear Sajith would have none of this and repeatedly keeps saying he doesn’t want the ‘pohottuwa’ anywhere near him.

The Greens and the ‘telephone’ chaps joining forces makes sense. Even at the last big election which Anura sahodaraya won, Sajith and you together polled more than fifty per cent of the votes. I am not sure that getting the ‘pohottuwa’ to tag along is a good idea. It may in fact cost you some votes!

Some are suggesting that you have proposed this idea because you are certain Sajith will not agree to it and that will prevent the Greens and the ‘telephone’ chaps from getting together again. Knowing you and your cunning tricks, that is not impossible but I do hope that is not the case, Uncle Ranil.

Others suggest that you had a taste of what working with the ‘pohottuwa’ was like when you were the big boss for a short period of time. They say you found it better than what you expected it to be and that you feel there are at least a few in the ‘pohottuwa’ camp who could be assets to any party. 

On the other hand, there are those who say that Sajith does not want to share the same stage with the ‘pohottuwa’ for a very understandable reason: he fears being upstaged by young Namal. I am not so sure. Namal parading himself at Odisha suggests that his judgment is probably worse than Sajith’s! 

Uncle Ranil, for every person in the Green camp and the ‘telephone’ party who wants an alliance between the two, there is also another who doesn’t. What you need to remember though is that this country needs a strong opposition, if only to keep the ‘maalimaawa’ on the straight and narrow!  

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS- It was sad to see someone like Saman who has worked hard throughout his career being remanded for the alleged crime of signing on the dotted line to approve payments for you. Remember, Lalith suffered a similar fate under Mahinda maama. I guess Nandika must be a nervous man these days!