Thalatha thrashes Sajith before quitting party, Parliament

• Questions Sajith Premadasa’s leadership qualities and his suitability to lead the country at this critical time
• Says Premadasa is attempting to gain power by riding a manufactured popularity wave with no concrete plan on how to hold on to power if successful 
• Expresses deep regret over UNP split and recent failure of UNP and SJB to unite ahead of Presidential poll
• Says she was perplexed by Premadasa’s refusal of Wickremesinghe’s overtures to rejoin fold and rebuild SL 
• Questions if his refusal to collaborate stemmed from a desire to become President too fast too soon
• Asks if Premadasa is attempting to act out Part II of Gotabaya Rajapaksa fiasco and urges him to examine what happened to Rajapaksa
• Cites corrupt joining SJB fold as another reason for her sudden decision to step down 

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Ratnapura District MP Thalatha Athukorala yesterday announced her resignation from Parliament delivering a scathing critique of party’s Presidential hopeful Sajith Premadasa before stepping down.

During a special address in Parliament, Thalatha Athukorala, who entered Parliament in 2004 after the untimely passing of her brother, United National Party (UNP) stalwart Gamini Athukorala, questioned Sajith Premadasa’s leadership qualities and his suitability to lead the country at this critical time. 

She also underscored the importance of honesty and patience in politics, stating her belief that this was not the right time for Sajith Premadasa to pursue the Presidency of Sri Lanka.

A visibly emotional Athukoarala expressed deep regret over the division of the UNP and the recent failure of the UNP and the SJB to unite ahead of the Presidential election.

She expressed her dismay, stating that while other groups are working towards unity, her conscience cannot accept the division within their camp and the decision to contest separately. “Our mother party, the UNP, has split; our leader and Former Deputy leader have become rivals, both now vying for the presidency,” she lamented. 

She condemned the decision to contest separately as selfish, describing it as a political move made without consideration for the country›s future. “Our future will prove this,” she warned. 

Athukorala reflected on the past strength of the UNP as a dominant political force in Sri Lankan politics. She pointed out that despite the departures of key figures like S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike in 1951 and Gamini Dissanayake along with Lalith Athulathmudali in 1991, the UNP remained resilient. However, she observed that the mass exodus of MPs in 2020 to form the SJB marked a significant turning point and contributed to the party›s decline.

She revealed that however at the time most MPs were against the party being fractured. Explaining the lead-up to the formation of the SJB, Athukorala recalled UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and the party’s repeated defeats in key elections. She described these defeats as unnatural but noted that a consensus emerged on the need for a change in party leadership. This struggle, she said, ultimately led to the formation of the SJB, marking the final split of the UNP 72 years after its inception. “Sajith Premadasa was finally able to dismantle the UNP,” she said.

The MP said that while many questioned why the issue could not be resolved without a split, she too was uncomfortable with the decision to part ways. According to Athukorala, however, she chose to leave the UNP because of her deep trust in and belief in Premadasa.

“Even though I subsequently won under the SJB ticket, I continued to question whether leaving the UNP and causing the split was the right decision. Therefore, even though I was elected as an MP, I felt no joy,” she explained. 

Therefore, when faced with the 2024 Presidential election, she said her focus was not on whether her choice should be Ranil Wickremesinghe or Sajith Premadasa, but on whether both groups would finally come together and contest as one.

A disappointed-sounding Athukorala recalled that, although she supported Premadasa’s appointment as UNP Deputy Leader a decade ago, she was perplexed by his repeated refusals to join President Ranil Wickremesinghe, their former party leader in efforts to rebuild the country. “The practical solution was to avoid division and contest together,” she said.

She emphasised that she held no personal grudge against Premadasa but questioned whether his refusal to collaborate stemmed from a desire to become President too quickly.

Athukorala implied that Premadasa lacked the maturity needed for leadership and seemed indifferent to public criticism. She noted that there appeared to be no self-reflection on whether the timing was right, the potential detrimental effects, or whether he possessed the qualities necessary for leadership at this time. Instead, she suggested that Premadasa was driven solely by the ambition to become Sri Lanka’s leader.

She said there seems to be an attempt to gain power through a manufactured wave of popularity, with no concrete plan for maintaining power once achieved. “I question if this is Part II of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa fiasco,” she remarked.

Athukorala observed that the citizens have become more discerning after the public uprising against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. “This is the truth and reality. Unlike the 2019 and 2020 elections, people can no longer be deceived by false promises. Yet, some politicians continue to try, but the people won›t be fooled, nor should they be allowed to be,” she asserted. She emphasised the critical responsibility of lawmakers at this crucial time, warning that failure to recognise it would undoubtedly result in being remembered as a group of selfish opportunists.

She urged Premadasa to examine what happened to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who, she said, bankrupted the country, harmed the people, and committed political suicide. “Read not just the book he wrote but the true story of what happened to him,” she advised.

She emphasised that, in the context of all political parties exploiting the country›s vulnerable state and promising unrealistic solutions, it is crucial to learn from the example set by Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

During her almost 30-minute impassioned speech, Athukorala cited several key reasons for her decision to step down. 

“The JVP, which once had only 3% support, has now formed a broad coalition as the NPP. Meanwhile, the UNP remains divided, with the Leader and Former Deputy Leader both contesting as candidates. I question whether this reflects poorly considered decisions,” she said.

Athukorala noted that the UNP split was not due to policy differences but because of issues with centralised leadership and the leader›s approach.

“Today, he is President. The Rajapaksas have left his fold. When a sure victory for the camp has been offered on a silver platter, why is it being rejected? Why can›t this reality be understood? Our responsibility was to unite, become powerful, and lead the country to success. Aside from the Presidency, a loss will be political suicide for everyone in the camp,” Athukorala warned.

She noted that in 2005, Wickremesinghe lost because the Rajapaksa camp had effectively ensured the people of the North and East would boycott the elections. This time, she said, the people are ready to correct that mistake and support the camp. However, she expressed frustration that they are now uncertain and confused about whom to vote for, caught between choosing Ranil or Sajith.

Addressing the SJB’s ongoing allegations against Wickremesinghe for associating with politicians they had labelled as corrupt, Athukorala said these accusations have now backfired on the SJB. She cited the entry of such corrupt politicians into the SJB as a key factor in her decision to resign. She noted that senior SJB MPs have become disillusioned and disappointed as a result of this. “Various rivals from business, sports, and other sectors have now come together and joined the SJB to survive. I can no longer tolerate this,” she said.

Athukorala also emphasised the importance of patience in politics, citing it as a critical lesson. She highlighted Jayawardene›s 30 years of patience in his rise to UNP leadership as an example of this virtue.

She noted that Premadasa›s journey to the Presidency was marked by patience and perseverance, overcoming numerous challenges from his early days as a councillor to becoming President.

Athukorala went on to praise President Ranil Wickremesinghe for his crucial role in saving the country and supporting Premadasa against rivals like Gamini Dissanayake and Lalith Athulathmudali. 

She underscored Wickremesinghe›s efforts in preserving the UNP Government, particularly following Premadasa›s death, and suggested that pursuing the presidency at that time could have led to the downfall of the UNP government. 

She argued that if Sajith Premadasa could demonstrate patience for five more years, he might overcome current obstacles. However, she expressed concern that those advising him are not genuinely seeking his presidency but rather their own continued positions in Parliament. “I cannot watch the party be sacrificed for such purposes,” Athukorala said. 

The MP explained that she chose to resign because she could not remain silent and be associated with what she views as wrongdoing regarding the split of the UNP. She emphasised that her decision was guided by her conscience and was also a matter of fairness to the people of Ratnapura who had voted for her.

In her speech, she also reflected on how her brother, the late Gamini Athukorala dedicated himself to ensuring the success of the UNP, never leaving the party for personal gain, and maintained a deep connection with the people of Ratnapura.

Athukorala acknowledged that while her resignation was a deeply emotional decision, it does not signify the end of her political journey. She emphasised that her work must continue on behalf of the women of Sri Lanka. “There is much to do for them. But my heart is not heavy about letting go of this MP seat,” she said.