AKD: From politics to statesmanship

By M H M Faizer

The astounding success of the NPP is a confirmed victory for honesty and integrity. It is heartening to place on record the level of maturity displayed by Sri Lankan citizens. 

What is the shining secret of the NPP win? The success is attributable to its embedded culture. Culture is all about the way we do things. AKD has his own style of doing things: It is new and unmatchable by any other leader or party. It is not an innovative leadership but an invented leadership! It's a brand new approach—an approach even a common man can understand. The common man has woken up from his slumber to the realization that AKD talks sense. AKD is neither a Marxist nor a Communist! He is a reformist. The countless number of speeches he made before both the presidential and the general elections reaffirms his socialist policies. He has convinced the common man that he is a reformer who can deliver social justice. He has conveyed to the population that the elimination of corruption is a precondition for any economic, political, and social reforms to be successful. He is determined to bring the corrupt to justice.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has made it clear to his fellow countrymen that to pursue his set of reforms, he needs to clear the mess created by the previous governments. A majority of the people have overwhelmingly endorsed his action plan, as has been seen in Thursday's general election results.

Before the presidential election, AKD had an influencing power in shaping the NPP culture. The team members were few. Every member subscribed to the team culture and its values and beliefs. But now it has 159 legislative members. It’s going to be a challenging task for AKD, the PM, and other core members. For other members of NPP to subscribe to the views and beliefs of NPP, there must be a conducive environment and understanding within the team members and their relationship with NPP in general and AKD in particular. The team culture must remain compatible with the personal cultures of the individuals. If not, the team will split sooner or later. This we have seen in the UNP, SLFP, SLPP, SJB and many other parties. It is indeed a difficult task for the leader to develop and maintain congruency between its organizational vision, mission, and goals and the individual goals of its members within the entity. Unless and until the members sincerely consider the leader as a ‘role model,’ there are bound to be differences and disagreements; some may remain latent at the early stages and become intense later on. It is impossible to eliminate such differences, but an able leader can effectively manage and control them. AKD, we believe, is quite capable of doing that. He cannot eliminate discrepancies but needs to achieve a reconciliation that will be fair to both parties. 

It is becoming increasingly clear that AKD will navigate his team with success. AKD has a reputation for practicing what he preaches. He neither carries a facade in his personality nor the traits of a split personality. He looks sober and unassuming. The personality traits of AKD are truly admirable. Many of the other leaders too were smart and intelligent, but there was this element of camouflage that shadowed their true personality. In that sense, AKD remains transparent and means what he says. There is no hidden agenda. AKD and his team have a coherent and cohesive culture. This is a fundamental requirement for continued success in achieving their vision for Sri Lanka. However, AKD must not take his subordinates for granted. Their legitimate wants, rights, and privileges must be meaningfully met. He is now the “CEO” of Sri Lanka, supported by a level-headed prime minister and an able foreign minister! 

They, as a team, have demonstrated a meaningful political culture. This culture (the ways you guys are doing things) is more promising for the development of our island nation!

By the way, winning in Jaffna is a jewel in the NPP crown!

(The writer is a former Deputy Director General of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka.)