Tripartite fight for presidential nomination in SLPP

• UNP confident police capable of cracking down on Ava group 
• Denies reports of possible IGP resignation 

By Nuwan Senarathna 

Heated debates over a possible Joint Opposition (JO) presidential candidate clearly showed a tripartite contest emerging within the JO ranks over who would bag the nomination, the United National Party (UNP) said yesterday.  

“A big controversy is being played out within the JO in terms of finding their next presidential candidate as different names are being nominated,” Law and Order Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara told reporters during a press conference held at the UNP headquarters of Sirikotha. 

He charged that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa used JO MPs to hit out at fellow JO members who had been questioning the openness of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). Rajapaksa-aligned Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) member Kumara Welgama was earlier criticised for backing a non-Rajapaksa candidate to be fielded at a future presidential election.   

Bandara noted that some JO members were opposed to the decision to name former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the next presidential candidate. Bandara also said that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was facing a challenge to keep the JO united due to different names being raised by the JO members as potential presidential candidates. 

“I saw that Mahindananda Aluthgama, Lohan Ratwatte and Dilum Amunugama were criticising Kumara Welgama in front of former President Rajapaksa. I think they spoke on behalf of the former President and were guided by him to make those statements. Otherwise how could all three of them speak on the same topic in the same manner? During the past few weeks Kumara Welgama has been questioned for naming members of the Rajapaksa family as a JO presidential candidate. Therefore Rajapaksa might have thought of a way to keep Welgama quiet,” he added. He pointed out that no JO member other than a member of the Rajapaksa family had ever been taken into consideration as a potential presidential candidate. The name of JO leader MP Dinesh Gunawardene had not been even mentioned, he stressed.    

“Vasudeva Nanayakkara also stated that he preferred Chamal Rajapaksa to be the next JO presidential candidate. I don’t know who will be backed by Mahinda Rajapaksa. However, a big controversy is being played out there.” 

Unless the dispute is settled amicably the JO runs the risk of falling apart, Bandara cautioned. 

Responding to speculation of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundera resigning, Deputy Minister Bandara said he was not aware of such a decision. 

“The IGP has the right to tender his resignation but I am not aware of any such step.” 

Deputy Minister Bandara then went on to say that the Police had the capacity to control the Ava group. He pointed out that unnecessary attention had already been given to incidents reported in the north.  

“Police have been carrying out operations to arrest those involved in gang activities and necessary measures have been taken to prevent them. There are some ruthless gangs also active in southern parts of the country.” 

He said the Government had given instructions to the Police to crack down on gang activities in all parts of the country to ensure law and order.  “There is no report of any connection between the Ava group and the LTTE and no incident was reported on any attack on the police by the Ava group,” he said.