By Political Editor in The Sunday Times, July 30, 2023
*As UNP appoints committees to revive party at grassroots level; broader alliance planned with like-minded parties and groups
**Lanza’s new party on a mission to win support for Wickremesinghe among SLPP and ‘independent’ MPs
……. Behind-the-scenes activity, particularly those initiated by President Wickremesinghe, still retains the focus on a presidential poll. Of course, the aim is to hold it next year. One step is a move to strengthen the now virtually defunct United National Party (UNP). With arrangements for an altogether new Constitution for the party, its annual convention is now set for January 10 next year.
Different committees have been named to activate the party at the grassroots level. Key players in these committees include, among others, deputy leader Ruwan Wijewardene, Sagala Ratnayake, General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara, and Colombo North balamandalaya leader Ravi Karunanayake. The party appears set to form an alliance with like-minded groups in view of the short time available to emerge as a single entity.
A grouping that will be a likely partner emerged this week. That is the opening of a political party office at 118 Lake Drive, Colombo. The name is yet to be decided upon. The man behind the move is Negombo district parliamentarian Nimal Lanza, who has been working from the Presidential Secretariat. His task has been to win over for President Wickremesinghe parliamentarians, both members of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and those who are functioning as “independents” and have distanced themselves from the SLPP.
One former minister who was earlier in the SLPP has been earmarked to be the leader. Lanza, a one-time confidant of SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa, has been conducting private meetings to get them to join his group. He has said there were 40 MPs supporting him and he hopes to raise the number to 60.
During his dialogue, Lanza told a confidant this week, that there was reluctance on the part of some members to join the UNP or contest the elections on the UNP ticket. He noted that such people could join his grouping. In turn, they would thus be able to have a tie-up. Lanza briefed President Wickremesinghe, the UNP leader, on the recent developments just this week….
One of the areas where Lanza has been making gains, besides his move to woo parliamentarians, is a dialogue with members of the now-defunct local councils. It comes at a time when an influential section of the SLPP led by Basil Rajapaksa and backed by his confidant and General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, is frustrated over their inability to muster wider support.
This is said to be the main reason why a close Basil Rajapaksa confidant and parliamentarian Jayantha Ketagoda initiated a private member’s motion to empower the Minister of Local Government to re-activate the defunct councils. Nevertheless, Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, who appeared for the state in fundamental rights cases in the Supreme Court argued that such a move would be unconstitutional. This small but influential section of the SLPP is worried that it would lose the support of the grassroots level of the party with the local councils not functioning.
Lanza’s opening of the new office at Lake Drive also had its sequel elsewhere. Two parliamentarians now actively engaged in SLPP activities — former Minister Namal Rajapaksa and Nipuna Ranawaka, a colleague and relative — met former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. They were prompted by reports last week that the former President’s private secretary, Sugeeswara Bandara, was a key player in Nimal Lanza’s political grouping. They sought the ex-President’s help to persuade Bandara not to involve himself with Lanza’s political group. It has now come to light that the private secretary proposes to contest the Colombo District on the ticket from Lanza’s grouping. The new group has decided to have its inaugural rally on January 19, but a venue is yet to be decided upon.
…… There is, however, uncertainty over the conduct of the long-delayed Provincial Council elections. A query to President Wickremesinghe at Wednesday’s conference of political parties represented in Parliament, about Provincial Council elections was deftly dismissed by him. He noted that the subject of the conference was to discuss proposals to end ethnic conflict.
Implementation of 13A
….. The TNA is not happy with the 13A, which it claims needs to be further strengthened. C.V. Vigneswaran, leader of the Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kootani, is in favour of police powers for road traffic affairs and to record complaints. He had earlier cited the Indian example of Pondicherry, a central government territory, where such a practice is in force. That he is willing to compromise has infuriated the other Tamil political parties. There is also uncertainty over elections to local councils.
Dealing with economic issues remains a high priority for President Wickremesinghe. At the same time, he is also spearheading efforts to activate the political machinery to set the stage for presidential elections. The reactivation of his own United National Party (UNP) so it may forge a broader alliance with other like-minded groups is underway. A question of some importance in this regard is how the SLPP’s response to these moves would be. More so since a segment of the ruling party has become staunch backers of President Wickremesinghe……..
https://www.sundaytimes.lk/230730/columns/new-behind-the-scenes-moves-to-support-the-president-for-next-years-elections-526782.html
