Even if the UNP is now in election mode in a limited way, the attention of the party appears to be still focused on putting its house in order. On Thursday evening, leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had another round of talks at his office at Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha with his deputy, Sajith Premadasa. Also present were Party Chairman Kabir Hashim and Wickremesinghe’s close friend Malik Samarawickrema, who holds no position in the party now, except for being a member of the Working Committee.
No details of the discussion were immediately available. However, one source said the discussion centered on tasks to be entrusted to Premadasa as the Deputy Leader. Premadasa had earlier placed a list of demands through a broker to be forwarded by General Secretary Tissa Attanayake to Wickremesinghe. The UNP leader did not accept the list and has insisted that no such demands would be heeded. The matter, the source said, figured at the talks with Premadasa raising issue about his role. He had said that General Secretary Tissa Attanayake had told Tiran Alles (an MP of the Democratic National Alliance) that the requests he made to accept the post of Deputy Leader had been agreed to.
Wickremesinghe was to reply that the functions Premadasa had sought belonged to the party and hence he was not in a position to confer them on others. It was suggested that Premadasa together with party chairman Kabir Hashim should spearhead the party’s Jana Jaya or People’s Victory programme. It envisages strengthening the party’s grassroots level organisations. However, Premadasa did not appear enthusiastic, said the source. The meeting ended inconclusively. The source said Wickremesinghe may seek another meeting with Premadasa. Matters relating to the upcoming presidential election and the budget debate were also discussed.
Wickremesinghe is also due to meet Harin Fernando, former MP and now Leader of the Opposition in the Uva Provincial Council. The party source said this was also to discuss the responsibilities he would be tasked with as Deputy National Organiser. “Once these matters are finalised, the leader will provide in writing each person’s responsibilities in the new offices they hold,” the source added. That would include a letter to Premadasa too, spelling out his new tasks.
A notable development on Friday was a move by UNP parliamentarians to boycott the tea party hosted by President Rajapaksa after he presented the budget. He is also the Minister of Finance and Planning. As soon as Rajapaksa ended reading the budget, these MPs went to the upper floor office of the Leader of the Opposition. There Wickremesinghe presided over a meeting of the UNP parliamentary group. A notable absentee was Premadasa. He was seen speaking to reporters just a little distance away from where the meeting was being held. Also boycotting the President’s tea party was the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and MPs who are members of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). The only opposition party in attendance was the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).
Earlier on Friday, the UNP’s “Group of 20″ also met in the Parliament complex. Wickremesinghe was to announce that the six-point common minimum programme formulated by the party has been accepted by Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera. The prelate will now address at least one meeting in every district to educate the people on the importance of it, he said. He urged that all party MPs give their fullest support to this initiative. Conspicuous by his absence was Deputy Leader Premadasa. Also absent were Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Harin Fernando and Kabir Hashim.
For the UNP, these developments came as sections appealed to leader Wickremesinghe to bring together all opposition and civil society groups to pick on a “suitable common candidate.” They are urging him to prepare himself to play the role of the Prime Minister once the winner, who comes on the undertaking of abolishing the executive presidency, sets upon that task. Formidable among them is the Eksath Bhikku Peramuna (United Bhikku Front) which is literally the Buddhist clergy arm of the UNP. On Wednesday, the EBP met at the Nalandaramaya Temple in Nugegoda.
After a lengthy discussion the EBP decided to inform Wickremesinghe of its appeal to him to select a “common candidate” and not contest. A delegation from the EBP led by Ven. Girambe Ananda Thera, Anunayake of the Amarapura Nikaya, met Wickremesinghe last evening. Others in the delegation included Ven. Bopitiya Dhammasara Thera, Ven. Thiniyawala Palitha Thera and Ven. Attanganey Sasanaratne Thera.
Ven. Ananda Thera told Wickremesinghe the delegation was concerned about the country. He said it was his duty to work towards protecting it. He had a greater role to play. Hence, the delegation said the UNP should talk to all political parties on a common minimum programme. They said that the UNP leader should prepare him for a much more important role and urged him to work towards that. This was whilst the party picks on an “acceptable common candidate.”
Wickremesinghe has been hearing viewpoints from different groups. Other than the “G-20″ meeting where he declared his candidature should be announced only after a presidential proclamation was issued, he had not made any public comments. After that meeting, the party has changed posture to say the candidate would be decided upon and announced only after the proclamation. In the unlikely event of Wickremesinghe agreeing to a candidate other than himself, he would have another dilemma on his hands. Premadasa has already declared that if the UNP leader is not contesting, it would have to be him.
If the dates speculated turn out to be correct, there are barely ten weeks left for a presidential election. The UPFA has gone into full throttle planning its election campaign. Meetings with different professional groups are already under way. However, for the main opposition UNP, putting things in order within continues to preoccupy it. The main issue appears to be the future role of Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa. If his demands are not heeded, it is almost certain he would not put his best foot forward. So, worries are greater for leader Wickremesinghe both within and outside as he sets out to take on Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Courtesy:Sunday Times