By
Shamindra Ferdinando
Chief Minister of the North Western Province Dayasiri Jayasekera yesterday said that the very survival of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) would largely depend on a total overhaul of the party ahead of the next parliamentary election.
The next general election is widely expected to be called soon after the completion of President Maithripala Sirisena’s 100-day project meant to provide relief to the electorate.
The transformation of the largest single party should take place under President Maithripala Sirisena’s leadership, CM Jayasekera said. The former UNP MP, who had been one of the leading speakers on the defeated candidate’s political platform, was responding to The Island queries on the change of SLFP leadership yesterday.
The SLFP could face an immense crisis unless the new leadership acted swiftly and decisively in the wake of the former President’s defeat at the January 8, 2015 presidential poll, Jayasekera said.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa wouldn’t have had to face defeat had the top leadership addressed a range of contentious issues including allegations of waste, corruption and irregularities, CM Jayasekera said. But, following the defeat at the presidential poll, the SLFP’s top priority should be to revamp the party to face the next big challenge, he noted
Asked whether he was seeking to save his skin by switching his allegiance to President Maithripala Sirisena, Jayasekera said: “We are struggling to protect the SLFP. Former President gave up SLFP leadership willingly to pave the way for President Maithripala Sirisena to oversee the re-building operation. Former presidents, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Mahinda Rajapaksa are committed to the wellbeing of the organisation; therefore there is no basis for UPFA members of parliament to cross over to the UNP. The bottom line is that President Maithripala Sirisena has taken over the SLFP and those who rebelled against the former President, too, remain under the new leader.”
CM Jayasekera said that he campaigned for the former SLFP leader though many believed he would join the Opposition halfway through the campaign. Jayasekera said: “Had I changed sides during the campaign, people would have reacted angrily. I would have been called an ungrateful man. Even now, my endeavour is to ensure rightful place for the former President.”
Comparing the number of votes obtained by two leading candidates, Maithripala Sirisena (6.2 mn) and Mahinda Rajapaksa (5.7 mn) at the presidential poll, CM Jayasekera pointed out that they polled altogether 11.9 million votes. The fact that two SLFP candidates had polled so many votes couldn’t be ignored by other political parties, CM Jayasekera said, adding that SLFP had held the presidency since Nov. 1994.
Responding to another question, attorney-at-law Jayasekera said that President Maithripala Sirisena would be able to take the party to the next level. Asked whether the new SLFP leadership would seek new partnership with constituents of the UPFA, CM Jayasekera emphasised that the party was confident of reaching agreements with political parties that worked with the former President.
Asked whether the new SLFP leadership would apologise for whatever wrong decisions/blunders made during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure as president, CM Jayasekera said that the party was prepared to repeal the 18th Amendment to the Constitution brought in especially to pave the way for the former President to secure a third term. Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the General Secretary of the SLFP as well as a UPFA minister voted for the 18th Amendment, now he was ready to repeal it, CM Jayasekera said. The new SLFP leadership would address contentious issues, he said, adding that far reaching changes were required urgently.
Jayasekera said that the leadership change was meant to ensure that SLFPers in parliament, Provincial Councils as well as local government bodies would not fall to another party. With President Maithripala Sirisena at the helm of the party, members could prepare for the next general election, CM Jayasekera said.
Had there been a tussle for the leadership of the party, it would have suffered a massive defeat at the next general election, he said. Now, the party had a real chance of bouncing back within the short period, CM Jayasekera said adding that a lot would depend on top leaders reaching an understanding among themselves.
Responding to another query, CM Jayasekera said that during the campaign former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s supporters had launched vituperative attacks on Maithripala Sirisena. Jayasekera said that he, too, had attacked the Opposition candidate mercilessly. However, now that Maithripala Sirisena had emerged victorious, comfortably and taken over the SLFP, it was imperative that all SLFPers shed their differences and worked towards strengthening the party.
Courtesy:The Island