{"id":34268,"date":"2014-10-19T18:07:25","date_gmt":"2014-10-19T22:07:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=34268"},"modified":"2014-10-19T18:57:54","modified_gmt":"2014-10-19T22:57:54","slug":"unp-formulates-7-point-minimum-common-programme-for-enlisting-support-to-contest-presidential-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=34268","title":{"rendered":"UNP Formulates 7 Point Minimum Common Programme for Enlisting Support to Contest Presidential Elections"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"UNP8712\"<\/a><\/p>\n


\nThe poll fever at last has extended to the main Opposition. The United National Party is also making a strong effort to go into election mode. One of the moves the party initiated this week is a shift in posture. It now wants it known that it has still not formally named a presidential candidate and a decision is pending. <\/p>\n

This is in marked contrast to the discussion at the so-called G-20 meeting in the Parliament complex on October 10. Except for Daya Gamage, a financier of the UNP and its national organiser, all others in this group are MPs. The group has been named by leader Wickremesinghe to deal with matters related to the presidential election. This is including all media activity.<\/strong><\/p>\n

At that meeting Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa moved that the party should immediately announce that Wickremesinghe should be the party\u2019s presidential candidate. The proposal was strongly endorsed by General Secretary Tissa Attanayake and Rosie Senanayake MP. However, as revealed in these columns last week, Wickremesinghe was not in favour of the move. He said such an announcement should only be made after the official proclamation was made. This assertion left little doubt that eventually Wickremesinghe would be the UNP\u2019s presidential candidate.<\/p>\n


\nWhy then is a change in posture? <\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

One knowledgeable source revealed that the move would give the party sufficient time to conduct talks with other political parties, groups and individuals. Another reason, the source added, was that it would also give time for the party to canvass support for the seven-point common minimum programme it had just formulated. <\/p>\n

The seven points are:
\n (1) Abolition of the executive presidency and return to Parliamentary democracy;
\n (2) Change in the electoral system;
\n(3) restoration of Independent Commissions;
\n(4) Strengthening the Provincial Councils;
\n(5) Immediate measures to end corruption and nepotism;
\n(6) Social infrastructure development, restoration of the rule of law and improvement of education ;
\n(7) Immediate measures to lower the mounting cost of living:<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is on this document that the UNP is seeking accord with those outside the party. Added another UNP source, \u201cSince a formal decision on a candidate is still pending, the party is better placed to canvass the seven-point common minimum programme and discuss who a widely acceptable candidate is.\u201d However, this claim could not be verified since Wickremesinghe\u2019s candidature, though not formally announced, is still a certainty. The UNP has continued to insist that a candidate at the presidential election should be from the party.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, Wickremesinghe held a one-on-one meeting at the Sri Naga Vihare in Kotte with Venerable Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera to obtain his support and to spread the message of these seven points countrywide. Wickremesinghe wants to hold at least one meeting in each district chaired by Ven. Sobhitha Thera. The chief incumbent of Naga Vihare has said he would respond to Wickremesinghe today(19). <\/p>\n

Outlines of these seven points were also explained to Tamil National Alliance (TNA) National List parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran when he met Wickremesinghe at the Opposition Leader\u2019s Office at Cambridge Terrace. Associated with the UNP leader were Mangala Samaraweera and Malik Samarawickrema, a former UNP Chairman. TNA leader Rajavarothayam Sampanthan was indisposed and did not take part.<\/p>\n

Sampanthan told the Sunday Times, \u201cAs far as the TNA is concerned, though we are addressing our minds, presidential polls have not been officially announced. Once this happens, we will have extensive consultations within the alliance. We will also talk with other parties and take a decision.\u201d <\/p>\n

However, a TNA source who did not wish to be identified said, \u201cWe are not in favor of Mahinda Rajapaksa\u2019s candidature. We do not wish to create conditions for a victory for him. On the other hand, we have to decide whether the opposing candidate is acceptable to us.\u201d He said, if the alliance had no options, the party may even recommend a conscience vote to its members and supporters. In other words, this is to allow them to vote for a candidate of their choice. This was done at the 1982 presidential election when late J.R. Jayewardene was contested by Hector Kobbekaduwa.<\/p>\n

It is on this seven-point document that the UNP is seeking accord for support from those outside the party. Thus, when the proclamation for the presidential election is issued, the programme and those who have agreed to extend support will be known. \u201cIt is then that we will make a public announcement about our party\u2019s candidate,\u201d said a source familiar with the ongoing consultations.<\/p>\n

Last week\u2019s reference in these columns on the UNP leader taking over the party\u2019s media apparatus drew a response from Wickremesinghe. He told the Sunday Times that Matara District MP Mangala Samaraweera had not ceased to function as UNP\u2019s Director of Communications. Hence, he said, Samaraweera would serve both in the Working Committee as well as the Leadership Council. In other words, Wickremesinghe who had taken over the subject of media from Samaraweera, would only oversee all activity during the upcoming presidential election.<\/p>\n

Not only Samaraweera, who was told of the takeover of media operations by Wickremesinghe, but also other senior colleagues had believed he would cease as Director Communications. Consequently he would have ceased to be a member of the Working Committee or the Leadership Council since both offices were held ex officio. Until the takeover, it was the Director who was in charge of the party\u2019s communications strategies. <\/p>\n

Wickremesinghe\u2019s remarks mean Samaraweera will not spearhead the media campaign during the presidential election, an important period in that office, but only retain the title and deal with secondary issues if any. <\/p>\n

Further confirmation of the takeover of media communications came in a news release by Madushanka Abeygunawardena, Media Secretary on behalf of General Secretary Attanayake. It said, \u201cMr Wickremesinghe has taken over the media campaign for the elections.\u201d
\nIn fact the matter figured prominently when a UNP Leadership Council delegation led by its Chairman Karu Jayasuriya met Wickremesinghe for a two-and-a-half-hour discussion. It took place at 5 p.m. at the Opposition Leader\u2019s Office last Tuesday. Conspicuous by his absence at this meeting was Mangala Samaraweera. Others present were Kabir Hashim, Ravi Karunanayake, Lakshman Kiriella, Wijayadasa Rajapaksha and Malik Samarawickrema. The latter is not a member of the Council.<\/p>\n

The meeting, at the request of the Council, began with Chairman Jayasuriya saying that they did not want the party to go astray. Pointing out that there would have been shortcomings, he said, it was time prompt action was taken to rectify matters. He said no one in the Council was seeking the ouster of Wickremesinghe or the foisting of Sajith Premadasa. He said that members in the Council were a group of people who stood by the leader. However, a kapuva (broker) was engaged in character assassination. <\/p>\n

Without naming him, he said, the same person was seeking to abolish the Leadership Council. He said they wanted to speak the truth. The Media Unit has been taken over from Samaraweera, who is hunted by the Government, he said. Wickremesinghe was to interrupt to say that he had spoken to the Sunday Times to tell them that the Matara District MP would continue as Director of Communications.<\/p>\n

Wickremesinghe noted that the Leadership Council was established at the last annual sessions of the party. Its validity comes up for renewal at the annual sessions later this year. Now, there is also the 20 member Committee (G-20). Everyone should get involved to make its work successful, he said. <\/p>\n

Ravi Karunanayake said the party should talk to all others in the Opposition. He said contesting the presidential election was not the most important thing but winning it. He noted that equally important would be the parliamentary elections. Wijayadasa Rajapaksha was strongly critical of General Secretary Attanayake.He said Attanayake was not fit to hold that position because he was negotiating with persons who were outsiders and not members of the party. He was making remarks that did not represent the views of the party. One such instance was his comments to the media that the UNP was okay with Mahinda Rajapaksa contesting the presidential election for the third time. Wickremesinghe was to concur that it was wrong of Attanayaake to have spoken to the media on that matter. Of course that has not deterred Attanayake from issuing statements. <\/p>\n

Here is his latest one released by his Media Secretary:<\/p>\n

\u201cPresident Mahinda Rajapaksa needs 50.1 per cent to win the Presidential election. On an average 11 million persons vote at a Presidential election. This means that the winner needs 5.5 million of the vote. Fortunately or unfortunately Mahinda has to obtain this 5.5 million votes from the Sinhala-Buddhists. It is known that the Sinhala-Buddhist voter population is 74 per cent.<\/p>\n

\u201cAccordingly this amounts to 8.5 million votes. If we assume there are 8 million Sinhala votes, Mahinda will have to obtain 5.5 million votes of the 8 million. This would mean of every 100 votes he will have to obtain 68 votes. However it has now been established that it was not possible to obtain that vote. That is the reason the Bodu Bala Sena is being used.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe UNP last contested on its own in 2005. Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe obtained 4.7 million votes at this election. Therefore the UNP has a vote base of 4 million. Mr Wickremesinghe as Mahinda Rajapaksa\u2019s opponent will be able to obtain the minority vote without difficulty. About 26 per cent are minority votes. That amounts to about three million votes. Therefore Mr. Wickremesinghe needs only about 1.5 million of the three million minority votes. That would be an easy task.<\/p>\n

Therefore obtaining the required 5.5 million votes would be an easy task. Accordingly President Mahinda Rajapaksa will not be able to be the President for the third time. \u201dFriends, like the rise of the sun from the East, the victory of the UNP at the Presidential election is clear.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even before the proclamation for the presidential election is issued, Attanayake has firstly declared Wickremesinghe\u2019s candidature. He has then declared victory for the UNP presidential candidate. Yet, the man who is making sweeping statements, contrary to his own claims, has not yet been able to get his ally Sajith Premadasa, now Deputy Leader, to take part in UNP activities. On Friday, when the \u201cG-20\u2033 met at Siri Kotha with Wickremesinghe in the chair, Premadasa was a notable absentee. He had informed others that he was taking part in the opening of a Montessori school. Also absent were Ranjith Madduma Bandara,Thalatha Athukorale and Rosie Senanayake, all supporters of Premadasa. Loyalists of Premadasa claim that Wickremesinghe has not fulfilled the assurances given to Premadasa. <\/p>\n

Wickremesinghe allies have challenged the claim saying the UNP leader had not given any such promises except to propose him (Sajith Premadasa) as the Deputy Leader. Who then gave the assurances on behalf of Wickremesinghe? The situation raises an all important question \u2014 in the light of this tussle, will Premadasa fully back Wickremesinghe as UNP\u2019s presidential candidate? Among his demands are the dissolution of the Leadership Council and the appointment of his nominees to the Working Committee. The list also included a change of hands of the party\u2019s media operations.<\/p>\n

The UNP has summoned all its polling booth agents to Colombo on October 28 for a briefing. This is whilst Uva Provincial Council opposition leader, Harin Fernando has been now named as the Deputy National Organiser. He earlier refused to accept the leadership of the party\u2019s youth organisation.<\/p>\n

Courtesy:Sunday Times<\/em><\/p>\n

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The poll fever at last has extended to the main Opposition. The United National Party is also making a strong effort to go into election mode. One of the moves the party initiated this week is a shift in posture. It now wants it known that it has still not formally named a presidential candidate …<\/p>\n

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