Don’t weep for Wimal et al

This week President Gotabaya Rajapaksa sacked cabinet ministers Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila after they publicly criticised the government’s handling of the economy. The two ultra-nationalist ministers had been airing their grievances about government policy for a few months, but the straw that broke the camel’s back appears to have been their glaring criticism of Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa. The remarks were made during the launch of a new initiative by 11 constituent parties of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) last Monday unveiling a ‘new way forward’.

The newly unveiled ‘National Policy’ by Weerawansa et al details their proposals for short-term and long-term solutions for the debilitating economic crisis in Sri Lanka.

Weerawansa and Gammanpila were two of candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s staunchest supporters prior to his election. Even when there were jitters regarding his candidacy from within the ranks of the SLPP and the Rajapaksa family, these two fringe political leaders championed the cause of the former defence secretary. The coup de grace for the duo however was their criticism of the inner workings of the Rajapaksa family. Minister Gamanpila in a recent television interview alluded to a ‘family crisis’ while Weerawansa has been far more vocal in his criticism of Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa. Publicly insulting his family appears to have been a red line in the sand for President Rajapaksa, who sacked his close allies within 24 hours.

There is no doubt that both Weerawansa and Gammanpila are shrewd politicians. Though leaders with political parties of their own they have managed to get into political office through smart deal-making with larger political entities. Neither would have stood a reasonable chance of winning an election had they contested on their own. There is no doubt both will use this opportunity to project themselves as instruments of change who attempted to reform the government from within, only to be sacked for their honesty.

They were instrumental in obtaining a mandate for President Rajapaksa to be an efficient, uncorrupted, disciplined leader who would run a meritocracy without nepotism. Weerawansa and Gammanpila were to epitomise that creed of non-family meritocracy. Despite the image projected, their political careers do not support such an assertion.

Neither has demonstrated particular efficiency, competence or excellence in any of the ministries they have held in this government or previously. Neither is remembered for any consequential policy or significant contribution to their respective areas. Both are dogged by allegations of corruption. The only area where they deserve recognition and grudging respect is their ability to read the political tea leaves correctly and make the necessary moves to remain politically relevant.

In this regard, Weerawansa and Gammanpila are past masters. They have now recognised the clear public discontent with the administration they brought to power, famously projecting the President and Prime Minister as Sri Lanka’s Lee Kuan Yew and Mahathir Mohamed. They have been wise to jump a sinking ship to once more remain relevant as political players.

Neither Weerawansa nor Gamanpila are visionaries or champions of change they wish to project. Sri Lankans should wise up and not judge their leaders based on carefully manipulated marketing strategies designed to exploit and incite public emotions. The best outcome of this fresh fault line within the ruling party ranks would be for the likes of Weerawansa and Gammanpila to fade into the political wilderness, never again to sow hatred and division among Sri Lanka’s people in order to attain political power.