POHOTTUVA VOTERS ARE BEING TAKEN FOR A RIDE
Posted on February 19th, 2018
DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA
As a Pohottuwa voter I am appalled by what is happening, to wit: the attempt by certain Pohottuva bigwigs to set up or back an SLFP Government under Sirisena. I can’t speak for others, but as far as I am concerned I didn’t vote for the Pohottuva in order to get Ranil ousted as PM. I voted in order to send the clearest possible message to Sirisena and his 45 SLFP’ers that they have no moral or legal right to set up a ‘National Government’ with the UNP in the way that they did following the August 2015 Elections.
I concede that, the UNP won 106 seats fair and square at the aforesaid elections, so they have the moral right to form a government as long as they can muster a simple majority in Parliament. But, what cannot be allowed – indeed what is quite outrageous, but in fact happened – is for Sirisena to get 45 SLFP MP’s (some of whom had lost the elections) to join the UNP and thereby permit the UNP to carry on a legislative program it would not otherwise have been able to do.
As far as I’m concerned, if the LG elections of 10th February gave any mandate at all to the Pohottova, it was to function as the official Opposition until 2020. In other words, the voters expect the period between the present and 2020 to be a sort of ‘probationary period’ where Pohottuva bigwigs must prove themselves worthy of the overwhelming victory that the voters are prepared to give them in 2020.
Instead, what has happened? The SLPP is trying to form a Government by backing Sirisena’s ’45’ – the very ‘sleazebags’ if I may use the word – that voters so emphatically rejected at the 10th February elections. Let’s suppose an SLFP Government is established. What happens if, the new Government presents to Parliament a slightly modified version of the Constitution proposed in the Steering Committee Interim Report?
For instance, what if the SLFP ‘Government’ proposes a new Constitution which does not refer to an ‘Urumittu Nadu,’ and also contains clauses guaranteeing the primacy of Buddhism in the State, but with the substantive recommendations of the Interim Report – i.e. on the ‘full implementation’ of the 13th Amendment, eliminating the Concurrent List, making the office of the Provincial Governor a merely ceremonial one, etc – remaining exactly as they are.
If enough UNP’ers along with the TNA support such a document and give it a 2/3 majority, does it mean that the Pohottuva will see to it that the document is passed in Parliament? If this happens, what’s the difference between a Ranil-led Government and a Nimal Sripala de Silva-led Government (according to the newspapers, De Silva is the person being pushed as the prospective PM)?
Either way, the voters – and here I mean specifically the Sinhalas – are screwed! Meanwhile, the separatists, along with the foreign powers that oversaw Rajapaksa’s downfall in 2015, get exactly what they want. So, as I said at the beginning, I am appalled, positively disgusted, by what is happening.
Pohottuva bigwigs need to get their act together, or they are going to start losing their voters. Now, some of them might say, ‘Who cares if we lose one or two voters? We have thousands more.’ Fine. But, they should take a lesson from what happened to Al Gore in the 2000 U.S Presidential Elections. Al Gore lost Florida to George Bush by less than 500 votes (I think it was close to 250 votes) and with it the election.
I reiterate that, as a Pohottuva voter I did not give a mandate to the Pohottuva in order for it to form a Government, or to help form one. I gave a mandate for it to function as the official Opposition, and to protect national interests – and by that I mean Sinhala interests – until such time a General Election is held and the People, and no one else, decide who is best suited to form a Government.
If Pohottuva bigwigs continue to act in a wishy-washy way, at one time seeming to embrace Sirisena and his 45 sleazebags, at another claiming that they want to function as the official Opposition, and yet another saying that all they want is to get rid of Ranil, at the next General Elections, I will vote for the UNP, or better yet, Sambanthan and his gang of scoundrels, because at least with those folks one knows what one is getting.
If Pohottuva bigwigs want to ignore the concerns of individual voters, they must know that, their Day of Judgment will surely come. Even though I am a Buddhist, I have learnt a new respect for the famous Biblical lines, ‘[For it is written] Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.’
February 18th, 2018 at 6:14 am
Dharshan I agree with you. Chandrika has run away. Sirisena is under the bed,
Anyway If Mahida is going to work with Sirisena he is a fool.
February 18th, 2018 at 8:39 am
Well said, I do not like Nimal Siripala as Prime Minister. He is sleaze bag. I hope MR is not going to work with Appa Sira. Wait until 2020.
February 18th, 2018 at 1:37 pm
Let’s wait and see if REAL Democracy prevails in Lanka, or if more skullduggery is forced on the People !
February 18th, 2018 at 3:21 pm
I agree. It gets even worse. SLPP is willing to work with Hakim and Bathurdeen. This is exactly what SLPP voters don’t want. As I mentioned in the aftermath of the election and disagreed with Ananda, SLPP/JO must not join the government. They must remain in the Opposition.
However, SLPP/JO leaders’ personal interests take precedent. As FCID, CIABOC and PRECIFAC have concluded their investigations against JO leaders and their family members, these will turn into court cases. Possible replacement of Sagala (a friend of Rajapaksas) as the police minister will make things worse for them. As expected Sirisena is using the threat of prosecution to get support. Mahinda, Wimal, Udaya, etc. have to join Sirisena or at least allow their MPs join him, else they will be prosecuted. This is the dilemma faced by the SLPP.
As SLPP almost totally lost minority voters this time, they may try to win minority voters by supporting political solutions. This must not be attempted. It will erode its vote base.
February 18th, 2018 at 3:56 pm
I think Dharshan is right. Ranil is not the real enemy of the SLPP. It is Sirisena the enemy of SLFP and hence the SLPP. He was the one who betrayed SLFP by going against Mahinda and the SLFP at the presidential elections and helped to elect Ranil at the parliamentary elections. So Sirisena is the real enemy of the SLFP and the SLPP and the leaders of the JO should not make any deals with My3 and his gang of traitors who joined with UNP to form a government just to get their perks.
It is true most of the Sihala Buddhist voted against Ranil and the UNP or for the SLPP. The reason I believe was because of the lies at the presidential elections, Ranil’s involvement in the BOND SCAM, the government’s total inability to manage the economy, sale of national asserts, punishing the war heroes to please our enemies and paving the way to EELAM. So the clear message from the masses was to get rid of Ranil as the PM and this Horapalanaya government, Nnot to join hands with the Traitor My3 and his gang.
February 18th, 2018 at 4:54 pm
I disagree with this theory. The main goal is 2019 Presidential election & the SLPP needs the maximum number of Sinhala Buddhist votes & going against SLFP is only madness. So the best avenue is first to get SLFP support at that election by helping them at this juncture. SLPP SHOULD also rope in JVP who draws again SB votes.The other point is if Ranil is allowed to continue further,he & his supporters behind the scene, who now know what will happen to Ranil at the next Presidential & Parliamentary elections, will make use of this short period to get their agendas at maximum speed. hand over MR airport & trade agreements with India,constitutional reforms & what not.
February 18th, 2018 at 6:44 pm
I think these are all dramas as instructed and directed by the West and India. Nothing will happen. Ranil will be the PM and My3 will be the President. They will find some way to continue these two in power.
MR and the Pohottuwa should stay in the opposition in any case without joining the big time traitor My3. By joining SLFP, they are helping Yahap to keep My3 still in the driving seat. He is a snake no one should trust.
Instead, JO should push for dissolving the parliament, not join SLFP in order to settle the unstable situation.
February 18th, 2018 at 6:55 pm
Dear Patriots, I agree with you. Pohottuwa should not support SLFP or UNP or any other. They should not get Hakkim or Baduiddin either.. They are opportunistic bastards who are prepared to sell Mother Lanka.
The moment SLFP feel that they are back in the business, Chandrika will come back to the scene and claim the ownership of the party. Let SLFP go to dogs… continue with Pohottuwa people…
In a world of nothing is permanent, let SLFP survive or die.. Pohottuwa seems to be more meaningful in its symbol too and get stronger by staying alone without getting infested by dirty ministers who went with My3.
If they do that mistake, no one will forgive.
February 18th, 2018 at 9:41 pm
The MAIN enemy of SL and SLFP+SLPP is UNP.
ANYTHING to destroy the UNP must be supported by ALL.
IF anyone says lets destroy the SLFP they are helping the UNP.
Win or not SLFP will contest the 2019 presidential election under My3. SLPP better join My3 or UNP will win. My3 has the STATE MACHINERY behind him. Who wants to end up like SF???
February 18th, 2018 at 10:44 pm
Ado Lorenzo, the UNDERCOVER LTTE agitator:
STILL AT IT, Eh? Trying to DIVIDE and DIVERT the Winning Formula of the SLPP!
My3 HAD the STATE MACHINERY behind him in the Local Govt Elections of Feb 10, 2018, but YET he and the SLFP suffered an IGNOMINIOUS DEFEAT!
No, My3 is DAMAGED GOODS in Patriotic Voter’s Eyes …. an UNTRUSTWORTHY BACKSTABBER we cant get rid of but YET MUST USE to OUST the UNP.
That is why the SLPP will not JOIN the government but will SUPPORT the proposed SLFP/UPFA Govt, and help it get a parliamentary MAJORITY, from the OPPOSITION until a NEW General Election Held in the NEAR FUTURE!
And YOU, Lorenzo the UNDERCOVER LTTE OPERATIVE, is also DAMAGED GOODS … and like your TOOL My3 … there is NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT EITHER!
February 18th, 2018 at 11:21 pm
It looks likes that the winning Lotus Bud Party aside , the rest are going around desprately clutching at straws to keep
afloat after the results of Feb 10. This pathetic performance needs to end soon as it reflects poorly on All Lankans.
February 19th, 2018 at 2:18 am
War crimes allegations: Govt, TNA face new challenge
February 19, 2018, 12:31 pm
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Having eaten into the Tamil National alliance (TNA) vote bank in the Jaffna peninsula at the recently concluded local government polls, the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) has launched a fresh campaign to pressure the international community to set up an international war crimes tribunal against Sri Lanka or refer the matter to the UN Security Council.
The TNPF has declared its intention to collect signatures in the northern and eastern provinces in support of its move ahead of forthcoming Geneva sessions.
Led by Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, the TNPF move has the backing of All Ceylon Tamil Congress and the Tamil People’s Council headed by Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran.
In a twitter message, Ponnambalam has said: “TNPF and TPC will commence a signature campaign in North and East demanding Sri Lanka issue should be transferred to Security Council or an International Tribunal formed as the Government failed to implement UN Resolution 30/1 adopted in Oct 2015.”
Tamil sources in the north as well as overseas said that though Wigneswaran hadn’t commented on war crimes charges, he remained a key TPC figure.
Political sources said Western powers could exploit the situation in case turmoil over local government polls outcome threatened constitution making process. Close on the heels of local government polls victory; Joint Opposition/Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna declared that much weakened unity government wasn’t in a position to pursue the project to introduce a new Constitution.
Former External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris told The Island that Sri Lanka couldn’t be expected to pursue the project in the wake of the change in the political landscape.
TNPF secured two urban councils in the Jaffna peninsula in addition to securing seven slots in the Jaffna Municipal Council. Sources pointed out that TNA was under pressure in the Jaffna MC as the EPDP has secured 10 seats. The TNA obtained 17 seats there.
Political sources said that the TNPF was gearing for Northern Provincial Council polls scheduled for later this year. However, Tamil sources pointed out that though TNPF made headway in urban areas, rural regions where former LTTE combatants resided remained with the TNA.
February 19th, 2018 at 3:23 am
It is a bit naïve to compare LG elections to presidential elections.
If we look at the voting pattern we Sinhalese are still divided.
So the Indian Colonial Parasite block vote will decide the outcome of a Presidential election.
We Sinhalese have to be united more than what we are at the LG polls.
February 19th, 2018 at 6:48 am
Genuine and wholehearted PATRIOTISM/NATIONALISM the need of the hour, from every quarter !
Pohottuwa has won the Hearts of the People, through earned TRUST by its leadership, to keep the Country whole and take the Country forward !
February 19th, 2018 at 7:41 am
Well said Fran!
Ananda_USA, good to see you active in the forum again!
February 19th, 2018 at 6:23 pm
Ananda, These two are agents of the Regime change plot and they will take care of each other. This is just a drama. The West and India will not allow them to step aside. They will get killed in an accident in their own bathroom if they try to.