Chandrika flies to England; will clarify political position on return

By Dharisha Bastians

SLFP Patron and former President Chandrika Kumaratunga has left for London to attend a family event, her office said yesterday, as the UPFA’s nomination drama concluded in a way that appeared to prove she had no real clout in the party against her arch rival Mahinda Rajapaksa

A media statement from Kumaratunga’s office said the former President had travelled to attend a family event that had been planned well over one year ago. Sources close to the ex-President told Daily FT that Kumaratunga was irked by President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to grant nominations to Rajapaksa and capitulate on all his demands.

Her office said she would ‘clarify’ her position on the current political situation upon her return to the country.

The former President was engaged in feverish negotiations to prevent Mahinda Rajapaksa and his loyalists from getting nominations on the SLFP list, and stop the crossovers of Sirisena loyalists who had quit the Rajapaksa Government ahead of the presidential polls in January this year.

In a final attempt to clip Rajapaksa’s wings, Kumaratunga on Wednesday night slashed Prasanna Ranatunga’s name off the Gampaha District candidate list, saying three Ranatunga brothers could not contest in the same district. Prasanna Ranatunga, the Western Province Chief Minister has been a vocal supporter of President Rajapaksa, and has already held several rallies calling for his election as prime minister. Kumaratunga also slashed the names of several other Rajapaksa loyalists, including Samanmalee Sakalasooriya and Meryl Perera off the Gampaha candidate list, Daily FT learns.

However these attempts failed when UPFA officials capitulated on the demand by the Rajapaksa faction, which was threatening to contest separately if Ranatunga was denied nominations.

Several leading members of the Rajapaksa faction signed nominations from the UPFA at the Mahaweli Centre yesterday. Wimal Weerawansa, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Dulles Alahapperuma, Namal Rajapaksa, Udith Lokubandara and several others made the cut.

UPFA nominations will be denied to Mervyn Silva, Sajin Vaas Gunewardane, Sarana Gunewardane and Duminda Silva, Daily FT learns.

Duminda Silva, who was recently indicted on murder charges by the Attorney General in the Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra case, is making a strong appeal to be granted nominations on the UPFA ticket, sources said.

But President Sirisena has urged Western Provincial Councillor Hirunika Premachandra not to cross over to the UNP, promising to give her a nomination for Silva’s Kolonnawa seat, Daily FT learns.