Elites want presidency back for themselves: Dilan

By Himal Kotelawala

Defending its recent calls for President Maithripala Sirisena to be the party’s nominee for the next presidential election, the SLFP yesterday said that Sirisena was not obligated to consider the opinions of anyone outside of the party’s central committee.

Speaking at the weekly SLFP press briefing, party spokesman Deputy Minister Dilan Perera attributed recent attempts by some quarters to discourage the president from running for a second term to an issue of class difference, with the socio-political elites once again attempting to take back the presidency from someone they believed was undeserving of the position.

The Deputy Minister said that history was repeating itself, harkening back to previous efforts by both Government and Opposition stalwarts to undermine former President Ranasinghe Premadasa in the early years of his presidency. Surreptitious attempts are being contemplated even now, he implied, to win power back to a certain social class, irrespective of party differences.

“Our party secretary and the UPFA Secretary and everyone else say that Sirisena should run for president again. [Former President Kumaratunga] says he need not run. [Prime Minister] Ranil Wickremesinghe and some sections of the UNP say he need not run again; as does [Former President] Mahinda Rajapaksa. There have been only two national leaders who have brought about a social revolution in the country without any bloodshed: Ranasinghe Premadasa and Maithripala Sirisena. Premadasa was able to win against all odds the presidency that was limited to a certain class. No sooner had he won were there moves made against him. You can call it an impeachment, but there were moves to remove him made by sections in both the Government and Opposition – to remove from the position the person that came from a lower class. I see the same thing happening to [President Maithripala Sirisena],” he said.

“Irrespective of party differences, this is an undeclared campaign to win power back to that social class. This is my analysis of the status quo,” he added.However, President Sirisena in his first address to the nation as Head of State vowed to be a one-term president. Despite these and other assurances, the SLFP has openly requested him to run again in 2020, though it’s not clear what course of action the party’s Central Committee will eventually decide on.

“If the Central Committee decides he is the party’s candidate, then, that will be the official stance of the party.  He is not under any obligation to listen to Chandrika, Ranil or Mahinda. He is obligated to listen to the CC. If he still says no to the CC decision, then the SLFP must prepare someone else for the election,” said Perera.

Delimitation report to be gazetted today

The delimitation appellate report relating to the long overdue local government elections will be gazetted today, Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Faiszer Musthapha said.

Speaking to Daily FT, the Minister said that the Government can finally move forward with the polls once the delimitation report is gazetted.

When asked about allegations of the SLFP causing the long delay, Musthapha said: “These allegations are all unsubstantiated. Certain quarters have no platform other than alleging that the election is getting unduly postponed. But some of these members were members of the SLFP at that time when the original report was done. They didn’t oppose it. If they had opposed it and the original delimitation report was done properly, today we wouldn’t have to face these consequences.”

“In Sinhala, there is a saying ‘pera pau walata duk windinawa…’ - that’s the actual situation. I have always done the best for the country. And I didn’t look it from a political point of view, because minorities were marginalised, small parties and certain viewpoints were marginalised. It was done to the whims and fancies of a particular individual. That is Basil Rajapaksa, and I had to take steps to rectify it,” he added.

The SLFP is confident about facing the upcoming polls, he said, when asked about obtaining the backing of the Joint Opposition.

“We’re very confident that everybody will do justice by the SLFP. Nobody can challenge the SLFP. I’m sure at the election all will be together and we will be one big force,” he said.

At the SLFP press briefing, the Minister also said: “President Sirisena, who was able to defeat Rajapaksa, has no qualms about accepting a challenge as the local government elections.  SLFP members are with us.”