{"id":37127,"date":"2015-01-10T17:52:26","date_gmt":"2015-01-10T22:52:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=37127"},"modified":"2015-01-11T01:39:18","modified_gmt":"2015-01-11T06:39:18","slug":"how-mahinda-rajapaksa-conceded-defeat-before-election-ended-and-departed-gracefully-from-temple-trees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=37127","title":{"rendered":"How Mahinda Rajapaksa Conceded Defeat Before Election Ended and Departed Gracefully From “Temple Trees”-The Sunday Leader"},"content":{"rendered":"


\nPresident Mahinda Rajapaksa drank at least four cups of black coffee on Thursday night as he came down from his cozy bedroom to watch election results. Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, a senior state servant, briefed the President on the results that had been received so far and Rajapaksa realized that it did not augur well.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"pic<\/a>

pic via: twitter.com\/AzzamAmeen<\/p><\/div>\n

That night he had arrived from Carlton Residence in Tangalle after casting his vote and the President looked a little too tired. The Commanders of three forces and close supporters of the President who were gathered at Temple Trees on Thursday night sensed that something \u2018strange\u2019 was going to happen. However, the 69-year-old President looked calm and serene.<\/em><\/p>\n

By about 5am, it was clear that the situation was turning in favour of Maithripala Sirisena, the Common Candidate of the opposition who was the main opponent of President Rajapaksa. He instructed his authorities to contact all the polling agents across the country and get a comprehensive report on the total number of votes received by the UPFA. After going through this report, the President realized that he was about to face an imminent defeat at the presidential election, which was announced two years before the end of his second term.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In reality, President Rajapaksa did not believe until the last moment that he would face a defeat at the election. He was aware of the fact that his main opponent, who was his former Minister of Health, held an edge where the votes of ethnic and religious minorities were concerned. But, he was under the assumption that the voter turnout in the northern peninsula would not exceed 50 per cent. President Rajapaksa\u2019s strategy was to \u2018dominate\u2019 the result in the South and to play a \u2018survival-game\u2019 in the North.<\/p>\n

However, the President\u2019s hopes of re-election were shattered by a remarkable voter turnout which was reported in many parts in the North. In the Jaffna district alone the voter turnout stood at 65% while in other districts it exceeded 70%. These statistics were in stark contrast to President Mahinda Rajapaksa\u2019s initial estimate. It was at this point that President Mahinda Rajapaksa realized he was treading on a dangerous zone.<\/p>\n

At the same time, it was in the grapevine that some political stooges who were close to President Rajapaksa deceived him by providing false and misleading predictions pertaining to the election.<\/p>\n

This column last week reported that a survey had been conducted by a group affiliated to the Ministry of Information and they had predicted that only Badulla District was in favour of the Common Candidate of the opposition. The government affiliated survey also said that in some districts the margin between the incumbent President and the Common Candidate of the opposition would surpass 100,000. When the results came, it was crystal clear that this survey was absolutely false and baseless. Even on the final day of election, a senior official of the Ministry told the top echelons of the government that the UPFA candidate would win the election with a resounding margin. Any person with at least an iota of common sense would have understood that this was a close race.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, another internal survey done by a group affiliated with the United National Party said the Common Candidate would win the forthcoming presidential election by 52 per cent obtaining 5,978,545 votes while President Mahinda Rajapaksa would get only 47 per cent with 5,400,0687 votes. According to the survey, President Rajapaksa was expected to win Gampaha, Matale, Galle, Matara, Hambantota and Kurunegala districts. It also said that the results of Colombo, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Puttalam, Badulla and districts of the North and East were likely to go in favour of the Common Candidate of the opposition.It was very much in line with the actual results of the election and one could say that the Common Opposition went for the election battle with comprehensive surveys and accurate survey results. Perhaps it was an advantage for the main opposition party to assess their real strength and tie up the loose ends in their campaigns.<\/p>\n

However, on Friday morning, when he realized that his defeat was inevitable, the President spoke to UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and asked him whether he was in a position to come to Temple Trees for a hurriedly arranged meeting. The Opposition Leader accepted the President\u2019s invitation and met the latter for a meeting on Friday morning.<\/p>\n

During the discussion, President Rajapaksa made it clear that he had no intention of defying the verdict of the people. He also added that he would leave Temple Trees immediately and make way for a smooth transfer of power.<\/p>\n

The Opposition Leader then contacted Maithripala Sirisena over the phone and facilitated a friendly conversation between him and President Rajapaksa. This was the first time President Rajapaksa and the Common Candidate of the opposition spoke after the conversation they had at the Elections Department on the final day of nominations.<\/p>\n

The President congratulated the Common Candidate for his victory and reiterated his promise for a smooth transfer of power. The Opposition Leader also commended the service President Rajapaksa had rendered to the nation and said his name would always be remembered in the country\u2019s history as the leader who rid the country of terrorism.<\/p>\n

Staying true to the assurance given to the UNP National Leader, President Rajapaksa, who was the ruler of the country for 10 years and the leader who is largely praised as the man who rescued the nation from terrorism, left Temple Trees after bidding adieu to his colleagues and staff members.<\/p>\n

Although the President seemed normal and calm about the transition of power, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa looked pensive and worried about the whole matter. Although President Rajapaksa, who has been in politics for more than four decades, has faced so many vicissitudes in his long political career, this was a tough experience for the Defence Secretary, who was one of the most powerful state officials under President Mahinda Rajapaksa\u2019s administration.<\/p>\n

After leaving Temple Trees, President Rajapaksa met the UPFA MPs at the Presidential Secretariat where the Parliamentarians said goodbye to the outgoing President.<\/p>\n

It was in fact an emotional moment to some of them as they spoke to the President with tears welling up in their eyes. Rajapaksa assured them that he would be the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and would continue to play an active role in the country\u2019s politics.<\/p>\n

The outgoing President\u2019s next destination was his ancestral home in Medamulana where a large number of SLFP supporters gave him a warm welcome. Speaking to them, Rajapaksa said he came to Medamulana for a \u2018holiday\u2019 and would continue to represent them in the country\u2019s politics. He also said he had relinquished powers and has handed over the country\u2019s administration to the newly elected President Maithripala Sirisena.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena was in Polonnaruwa on Thursday night and the following morning he travelled to Colombo with fresh hopes of becoming the President of Sri Lanka. He had already told that he would never use \u2018Temple Trees\u2019 or \u2018President\u2019s house\u2019 as his residence. Sirisena arrived at his residence in Colombo and met his supporters to celebrate the victory.<\/p>\n

President elect Maithripala Sirisena took oaths as the President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka at the Independence Square in Colombo 07 on Friday. His swearing in ceremony was attended by a large number of common opposition supporters and they were waving flags of all colours to demonstrate the unity as well as the diversity of the Common Opposition Alliance which is a coalition of 49 political parties and civil groups.<\/p>\n

He also appointed UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, as his first move as the President of Sri Lanka. Although some said the UNP Leader would be appointed as the Prime Minister within 24 hours after Maithripala Sirisena\u2019s ascension to power, the new President made Wickremesinghe the Prime Minister just minutes after he took oaths as the country\u2019s President.<\/p>\n

Addressing the nation after becoming the country\u2019s sixth Executive President, Sirisena added that he would never contest a presidential election again. He said his main responsibility was to change the present political culture in Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy principles will encapsulate the vision of D. S. Senanayake and S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, the great leaders of our nation,\u201d the new President said.<\/p>\n

He also extended his gratitude to the country\u2019s main opposition, the United National Party, for accepting him as the presidential candidate of the party. He also thanked other parties and organizations, including the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, for the support they provided during the election campaign.<\/p>\n

The newly elected President took oaths before K. Sri Pawan, the senior-most Judge in the country\u2019s apex court.<\/p>\n

After taking oaths, the President is expected to extend an open invitation to every members of Parliament, including the UPFA MPs, to join his 100 day programme to introduce much needed democratic reforms to the country. What requires emphasis is the fact that new President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe still don\u2019t have the majority in the country\u2019s legislature. As of now, the United People\u2019s Freedom Alliance, led by Mahinda Rajapaksa, has 138 Parliamentary seats and the Maithripala-Wickremesinghe alliance needs at least 25 more MPs from the UPFA to obtain a simple majority in the Parliament.<\/p>\n

A strongman of the common opposition said that they are confident that the large majority of UPFA MPs will support new President Maithripala Sirisena. \u201cIn reality, any politician needs power. They know that they can\u2019t do anything to their electorates without the assistance of the government.<\/p>\n

A large majority of the UPFA MPs will support the new President in the coming days. Then, the new President will appoint a multi-party cabinet as part of his 100-day programme,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

When asked about the party of Maithripala Sirisena\u2019s group, the strongman said the new President is still the legitimate General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the main coalition partner of the UPFA. \u201cWith the large majority of UPFA MPs supporting the new President, we will \u2018automatically\u2019 have the majority stake at top decision making bodies of the SLFP. Therefore, we can make the new President the new Leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

However, early next week, the new President will appoint an Advisory Council to devise constitutional amendments to ensure democracy in the country. The council will have the representation of members of political parties and civil organizations. The Parliament will be convened following the setting up of the Advisory Council.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson of the then opposition said that every step made by the Common Candidate will be in accordance with the 100-day programme presented to the public by the Common Opposition prior to the presidential election.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, it is now learnt that Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivad Cabraal, Foreign Employment Minister Dilan Perera and another Senior Minister have already decided to step down from their portfolios following the appointment of the new President.<\/p>\n

Their decisions are aimed at making way for the new President to appoint suitable people for their positions.<\/p>\n

The Minister is expected to address a press conference tomorrow explaining his decision.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, it is learnt that Treasury Secretary Dr P. B. Jayasundera, a senior public officer who played a controversial role in President Rajapaksa\u2019s administration, had also left the country a day before the presidential election. Some quarters in the business and finance sector say that the Sri Lankan Treasury Secretary has been offered a job by a newly formed international bank that has close links to China. However, no one in the Finance Ministry confirmed that information.
\n
\nCourtesy: The Sunday Leader<\/em><\/p>\n

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President Mahinda Rajapaksa drank at least four cups of black coffee on Thursday night as he came down from his cozy bedroom to watch election results. Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, a senior state servant, briefed the President on the results that had been received so far and Rajapaksa realized that it did not …<\/p>\n

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