{"id":48077,"date":"2016-08-26T19:58:41","date_gmt":"2016-08-26T23:58:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=48077"},"modified":"2016-08-26T19:58:41","modified_gmt":"2016-08-26T23:58:41","slug":"maithripala-sirisena-betrayed-the-slfp-at-the-january-2015-presidential-polls-kanchana-wijesekera-mp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=48077","title":{"rendered":"Maithripala Sirisena Betrayed the SLFP at the January 2015 Presidential Polls – Kanchana Wijesekera MP"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Shamindra Ferdinando<\/strong><\/p>\n

Matara District UPFA MP Kanchana Wijesekera yesterday said that the SLFP shouldn\u2019t have accepted ministerial portfolios in UNP-led government under any circumstances.<\/p>\n

Had those elected on the UPFA ticket at the August 17, 2015 parliamentary polls remained in the Opposition, the SLFP wouldn\u2019t be in a sorry state today, the former Southern Provincial Council member told The Island.<\/p>\n

MP Wijesekera alleged that the party had suffered a debilitating setback due to a section of the parliamentary group accepting ministerial portfolios at the behest of President Maithripala Sirisena.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Kanchana Wijesekera got elected to the Southern Provincial Council on the UPFA ticket in 2005. Although, former Minister Mahinda Wijesekera\u2019s son was re-elected at the 2014 polls, he quit the SPC to contest the general election last year.<\/p>\n

Responding to allegations that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and those members of parliament loyal to him had caused a split in the party, MP Wijesekera emphasized the former President made a courageous effort to retain the SLFP\u2019s identity in the wake of presidential polls defeat.<\/p>\n

Minister Mahinda Wijesekera quit politics after receiving severe injuries in an LTTE suicide blast in March 2009, three months before the conclusion of the war.<\/p>\n

MP Wijesekera asserted that the SLFP group in the government should quit the government now. “Simmering crisis in the party can be settled by them leaving the UNP.”<\/p>\n

The former President\u2019s actions should be examined against the backdrop of President Maithripala Sirisena setting up new SLFP Central Committee at the expense of the legal body, MP Wijesekera said. The SLFPer alleged President Sirisena and those backing him had caused irreparable damage to the party. Wijesekera said that the formation of new Central Committee was as bad as the then SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena betraying the party at the January 2015 presidential polls.<\/p>\n

Wijesekera said that the former President had formally handed over the leadership of the SLFP to the incumbent President over a week after what he called the formation of an illegal Central Committee. Asked to clarify the circumstances under which the formal change of leadership took place, MP Wijesekera said that the former President acted swiftly to thwart possible crossovers from the UPFA to the UNP. Calling the former President\u2019s action a strategic move, MP Wijesekera said that it was meant to ensure consolidation after presidential polls defeat and rapid built-up for the next parliamentary polls.<\/p>\n

Having convincingly won the presidential poll, President Maithripala Sirisena repeatedly acted contrary to the public pledge that he would be neutral, MP Wijesekera said.<\/p>\n

“The President skipped our inaugural general election campaign rally at Anuradhapura. The President\u2019s absence at Anuradhapura rally caused turmoil in the party.”<\/p>\n

Then, on the eve of the general election, President Maithripala Sirisena publicly ruled out giving premiership to Mahinda Rajapaksa even if the party won the election, MP Wijesekera said.<\/p>\n

“It was a calculated move to undermine the UPFA thereby giving an overwhelming advantage to the UNP.”<\/p>\n

In spite of the despicable attempt to discourage UPFA supporters, the grouping obtained 95 seats, including National List slots at the general election. Instead accepting the post of the Leader of the Opposition, SLFP leader Maithripala Sirisena threw his weight behind the UNP. Had the President allowed the UNP to form a new administration, the UPFA could have functioned as the main Opposition party.<\/p>\n

Instead, the UNP and the new SLFP leadership used the 19 Amendment to the Constitution to offer ministerial appointments to nearly 100 ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers, MP Wijesekera said.<\/p>\n

The UNP secured 106 seats, including National List slots, TNA 16, JVP 6 and SLMC and EPDP 1 each.<\/p>\n

MP Wijesekera said that of those who had been elected on the UNP ticket there were about 70 UNPers. The rest of the UNP parliamentary group represented other political parties and various disgruntled elements, MP Wijesekera said, adding that had the UPFA remained in the Opposition it could have easily exploited the situation. Unfortunately, the new SLFP leadership shamelessly cooperated with the UNP much to the disappointment and anger of those who had faithfully voted for the party.<\/p>\n

President Maithripala Sirisena removed Kanchana Wijesekera from the post of Devinuwara organizer July 13, 2015 in the wake of \u2018Mahinda Sulanga\u2019 meeting held at Matara.<\/p>\n

The MP said that the Joint Opposition remained committed to pursue the interests of those opposed to the yahapalana administration. Asked whether JO members would switch allegiance to President Maithripala Sirisena seeking personal benefit, MP Wijesekera said that the JO consisted of 51 members. Of them, 40 represented the SLFP, National Freedom Front 5, MEP 3 and Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, CP and Democratic Left Front one each. “I\u2019m confident, they will not leave.”<\/p>\n

According to Wijesekera of the 95 elected on the UPFA ticket, 51 members belonged to the JO, 42 to SLFP and two, namely Premalal Jayasekera (Ratnapura) and Siripala Gamlath (Polonnaruwa) functioned as independent members.<\/p>\n

Wijesekera asserted that the UNP was in turmoil though the party enjoyed power after a lapse of many years. The majority of members despised the way a small group of ministers and a few officials who took decisions on behalf of the party, the MP said. The crisis in parliament actually reflected the UNP\u2019s dilemma, the southerner said, adding that the JO remained committed to the genuine SLFP\u2019s ideals.<\/p>\n

The MP also appreciated the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe clinging on to party leadership in spite of a spate of crossovers sharply reducing the strength of his parliamentary group to 42. The SLFPer pointed out that the UNP hit back with a vengeance at the last presidential poll after having experienced severe losses. Wijesekera stressed that the SLFP would have been in a better position even after experiencing defeat at two national level elections in 2015 if it sat in the Opposition. Responding to another query, MP Wijesekera pointed out that SLFP group included many rejected candidates.<\/p>\n

“Due to a foolish move on the part of the new leadership, those still propagating opinion contrary to unitary status of the country are holding the post of the Leader of the Opposition today. Certainly, a pathetic situation,” a disappointed Wijesekera said.<\/p>\n

Wijesekera ridiculed the invitation extended to members to join 65 anniversary celebrations the party at Kurunegala after having deprived many senior members of electoral organizers post. The MP cited many instances of top organizers being replaced by unsuccessful candidates at parliamentary and Provincial Council polls.<\/p>\n

Courtesy:The Island<\/em><\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Shamindra Ferdinando Matara District UPFA MP Kanchana Wijesekera yesterday said that the SLFP shouldn\u2019t have accepted ministerial portfolios in UNP-led government under any circumstances. Had those elected on the UPFA ticket at the August 17, 2015 parliamentary polls remained in the Opposition, the SLFP wouldn\u2019t be in a sorry state today, the former Southern …<\/p>\n

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena Betrayed the SLFP at the January 2015 Presidential Polls – Kanchana Wijesekera MP’ »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48077"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=48077"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48077\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48078,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48077\/revisions\/48078"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=48077"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=48077"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=48077"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}