Private talk between Rajitha and Gayantha

A conversation between two official Government spokespersons, Ministers Rajitha Senaratne and Gayantha Karunatilleke, has gone viral on social media.They were both seated at the podium to brief the media during last week’s weekly Cabinet meeting. Microphones were in place. At least one or more had been switched on and the two ministers were blissfully unaware. Here is a transcript of what they said:

Gayantha: The SLFP has made a mess of this, haven’t they? (He was referring to the vote of no-confidence against PM Ranil Wickremesinghe).
Rajitha: Indeed. Those two, Lakshman Yapa and Dilan Perera, have now said they will vote for this though, haven’t they?
Gayantha: They’ll lose their Ministerial posts.

Rajitha: Lakshman Yapa only does what (inaudible) tells him to do. They must be scolding Dilan for getting them into this mess.
Gayantha: Rathana Thera too asked to make a speech. We gave him 10 minutes.
Rajitha: What is he going to talk about?

Gayantha: I don’t know, but he insisted that he wanted to speak.
Rajitha: Don’t give him time. Why do you want to give him a speech?
Gayantha: The Prime Minister said to give.

Rajitha: See, that is the problem with our PM. I told him today to stand tall from tomorrow. Last night I told him that he ought to stand with a backbone and not bend, even to the President. If there is a problem, I told him I would speak up and for him to remain quiet and take decisions. Otherwise, nothing will happen.

Gayantha: Is Chathura (Rajitha’s MP son) also on board now?
Rajitha: I suppose so.
Gayantha: I spoke to him.
Rajitha: What did he say?
Gayantha: I told him don’t be a fool and to stand with his father. Otherwise, if something happens, after fighting so hard, it’ll be all in vain. He laughed and said “Let’s see.”

Rajitha: After I joined the party in 1994, I practically ran this Parliament. That was how the UNP rose up. After that, we took our campaign against the President to all parts of the country. That was how we won the first round.
Gayantha: That’s true.

Gayantha Karunatilleke

Rajitha: We killed ourselves for the party. I’ll tell you; when we lost in ‘94, my jeep had done 61,000 kilometres while the boss’s (PM’s) vehicle had done only 27,000 kilometres.

(Laughter)
Rajitha: That’s because I covered all the meetings. From the Yowun Peramuna to Aasana Bala Mandala and District Bala Mandala. I formed all of those.
That Akila Viraj was a losing candidate. His appointment led to the Yowun Peramuna’s destruction.
Gayantha: Yes, he was appointed by force.

Rajitha: There was this young boy who was coming up. He was with me even when I went to the SLFP. He was a good boy who came from the village. That was during the election. There was also this girl from the plantation sector. She was also good.
Gayantha: The boss came and influenced people.

Rajitha: The announcement came at 12 midnight. The earlier appointment was cancelled and this guy was appointed instead. We are now suffering the consequences of those actions.

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