As the election heat intensified, President Ranil Wickremesinghe along with the Government group started the first rally from Matara.
A series of rallies will be held to inform the public about the Government’s program.
Although there was pressure not to go to the rally, several Ministers representing the ruling party participated in it, confirming what Minister Kanchana Wijesekera had said, “Half of the Pohottuwa is here.”
Minister Kanchana Wijesekera and the President’s Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayaka worked hard to make this rally a success. Sagala visited all the electorates of the Matara district including Matara, Weligama, Devinuwara, Akuressa and Kamburupitiya to educate the organisers.
The Matara Fort Stadium was overflowing with people due to the attendance of members of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) as well as the United National Party (UNP).
President Wickremesinghe went there after participating in the ceremony in Wellawaya to award Urumaya deeds to the people of the Moneragala district.
Lunch was prepared for the President at Minister Kanchana’s residence in Weligama and after lunch, President Wickremesinghe went to the venue of the rally.
Kanchana thanked those who attended the rally on behalf of the Government saying that Ranil Wickremesinghe should be the Presidential candidate of Pohottuwa. The time for a speech had also been reserved for MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage at the rally, but he told Minister Kanchana to request the President to speak before him without inconveniencing the people due to the intense heat on the ground.
Accordingly, Kanchana spoke next and provided the opportunity for the President to address the rally.
After the rally, a tea party was arranged for the MPs and invited guests at the Matara Rest House. During the friendly conversation between MPs, Minister Ali Sabry said, “This is good. Just as the Mahinda Sulanga started from Nugegoda, the first meeting of the Ranil Sulanga started from Matara.” Everyone shook their heads.
When Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said, “You all should come to the Kandy rally as well and help,” Minister Ramesh Pathirana and Minister Ali Sabry replied that they would definitely come. When everyone was looking for Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, MP Mahindananda said that he had gone to the Pohottuwa meeting at Mirigama.
Several Ministers on the stage could see that when the President addressed the rally, a certain person opened a window in an adjacent house and listened to the President’s speech carefully. It was none other than Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.
Minister Prasanna Ranatunga was the first speaker of the Ekwa Jayagamu (Victory through unity) rally in Matara.
Prasanna said that President Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected by the Pohottuwa. The Minister said that the President had rescued the country from the economic crisis and to take it forward, he should continue as the President.
The President went to the Presidential Secretariat on Monday morning and met the Political Cabinet as well as the Media Committee consisting of Ministers. In the evening, the President joined the Cabinet meeting and the Government parliamentary group meeting.
Five-year term
The President presented a proposal to amend the Constitution to the Cabinet of Ministers. That is to correct a mistake made by the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Although an amendment was passed to make the Presidential term five years in the 19th Amendment, the problem remained as the six-year period was not changed. Therefore, the President presented and passed the proposal that the term of office of the President is five years. Then the issue of the six-year term will end and an amendment will be presented to Parliament in the near future.
US Treasury official meets President
Thereafter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Treasury, Robert Kaproth met President Wickremesinghe and Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayaka at the Presidential Secretariat. They appreciated the President’s debt restructuring program and the country’s economic reform program.
On Tuesday morning, President Wickremesinghe went to Parliament to inform the MPs about the progress of the debt restructuring program. He also spoke about the insults he has been subjected to on social media since the story of the vine bridge.
Jealousy and hypocrisy
Many Government and Opposition members appreciated the President’s speech. They praised the President for his reply to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa’s doom and gloom speech. “They cannot tolerate the economy improving due to their jealousy and hypocrisy,” some MPs said.
“A group including an Ambassador of a leading country had met Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, MP Harsha and others. They told me that they were surprised that the Opposition Leader and others were unhappy with the success of the debt restructuring program,” MP Premanath Dolawatta told the group with regret. The group left after the President went to meet the heads of the District Development Committees in a Parliament committee room. Later, the President went to the Sirikota party headquarters.
“All the answers to the questions I raised at the parliamentary group meeting were in the President’s speech,” State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna told Prof. Ashu Marasinghe.
UNP Management Committee meets
On Tuesday evening, the UNP Management Committee also met at the Sirikota party headquarters after appointment letters were presented to the UNP Colombo district zonal organisers. After finishing it, the President who was on the way home paid his last respects to veteran politician R. Sampanthan.
President Wickremesinghe went to Temple Trees on Wednesday morning for a ceremony to award letters of appointments to teachers. The President exchanged pleasantries with the teachers.
In the evening, the President went to Seeduwa to meet the UNP Gampaha District electoral organisers and zonal organisers. Those present asked the President about the Pohottuwa MPs joining the UNP and about the electoral and zonal organisers moving to other electorates.
“If a single fruit is eaten, it is called by the name of that fruit. When pieces of a bunch of chopped fruits are combined, it becomes a fruit salad. So, you have to go ahead with all these together. Victory in the Gampaha district is important for the victory of the whole country. Therefore, you should work hard and win this district without being restricted to electorates and zones,” was the answer given by the President at the end of all the speeches.
The President went to his political office at Flower Road on Thursday morning. Many Ministers were already there and the President as usual was waiting to spend more time in the political office these days. “Now, everyone is talking about the petition filed in the Supreme Court asking for an interpretation of the Presidential Election Law. The Opposition says we are behind it,” MP Wajira Abeywardena said.
“I said that I will support the Election Commission to hold the Presidential Election. On the other hand, we have allocated Rs. 8 billion to the Election Commission. I also accept that the presidential term is five years. That’s not a problem for me,” the President said.
“But there is an argument that the six years hadnot been revoked even though the 19th Amendment had reduced the six year term to five years,” MP Premanath Dolawatta said.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe arrives at the UNP Galle district Convention at
Uluwitike, Galle yesterday
“Yes, that’s why a proposal was made to the Cabinet to amend the Constitution to change six years and make it five years,” President Wickremesinghe replied again.
“When the 19th Constitution was brought, then President Maithripala Sirisena was vested with the responsibility to change the term of office of the President. He and Jayampathi Wickramaratne came together to make this amendment. Ranil Wickremesinghe, as the Prime Minister at that time, did not intervene in this matter,” Prof. Ashu Marasinghe said, recalling the past.
“Even though President Sirisena spoke about six years, the court did not give him this opportunity. The other is that this petition has been filed by a businessman who is in the National List of Rohan Pallewatta’s party. Pallewatta is now an active member of the SJB Working Committee,” Minister Manusha said.
“This was done to sling mud at the President. The point is clear now,” said MP Wajira, joining the conversation.
“The Opposition has no choice now. That’s why they say that there was no benefit from debt restructuring,” MP Gayashan Nawananda said.
“That story is wrong. Although we did not get a big debt reduction here, Rs. 5 billion will be saved for us. On the other hand, another Rs. 3 billion debt has been reduced. Then we will get an advantage of Rs. 8 billion. Looking at it like that, a 20 percent debt reduction has been achieved. Because we have Rs. 40 billion in foreign debt, if we take Rs. 8 billion as a percentage, 20 percent is correct. On the other hand, the loan is repaid after four years,” the President gave a long explanation.
Second anniversary
Director General of Government Information Dinith Chinthaka also gave a good idea to President Wickremesinghe.
“It will be two years since July 9, 2022 when the President’s house and the library inside were burnt,” said Dinith Chinthaka adding, “What if we compare today’s situation and the situation of those days and give an article to the newspapers and a documentary program to TV stations?” “Yes, that’s a wonderful idea.” When the people said so, the President also expressed his approval. Accordingly, Director General of Government Information, Dinith Chinthaka, took a media crew to the President’s private residence at Fifth Lane that same evening.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that he has done everything that needs to be done for the country and it is up to the people to decide whether he should continue that journey or not.
He said the people will have the opportunity to decide whether the country’s future should be safeguarded or not when the Election Commission designates a date for the Presidential Election in September or October. The President was addressing the UNP Galle District Convention organized by UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena at Uluwitike, Galle yesterday. In addition, the President also attended the a felicitation ceremony held at Railway Grounds, Kalutara yesterday to mark 27 years’ political career of Sri SLPP Parliamentarian Rohitha Abeygunawardena. Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, SLPP Founder Basil Rajapaksa, SLPP National Organiser MP Namal Rajapaksa and a large number of SLPP Parliamentarians were also present.
New alliance meets
A special meeting of the politburo of the new alliance was held at a Colombo hotel on Thursday morning. There, special attention was paid to how to make arrangements to successfully hold the rally in Wellawaya.
After it was over, the group of Ministers also discussed the current political issues. “Unlike other times, this time when the President addressed the nation, everyone’s attention was focused on it,” said Minister Nalin Fernando. “Yes, it is true. Our closest party members in the villages asked what this is this ‘Good News’” Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said joining the conversation.
“The good news is that the poster has become very popular,” said MP Piyankara Jayaratne. “Another poster was put up in Colombo to slander it as the saboteurs were hit hard. That’s why such a poster was made,” said MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa.
“Who would have done that?” asked State Minister of Lasantha Alagiyawanna. “The hypocritic opposition members have done that?” MP Nimal Lanza said, looking at the group.
“They are doing that to disrupt the work of the President and incite people. But now people understand that some hypocrites are doing this,” Minister Nalin Fernando said.
“Yes, they are unable to watch the program that is being carried out by the President, and the people of the country are being misled and they take miserable pleasure from it. It is a hypocritical group that can’t stand looking at this positive development,” MP Nimal Lanza said in an aggressive manner.
“What Lanza said was right. Fearing that this good message will go to the country, those innocent teachers were brought to Colombo to create an issue,” Lasantha Alagiyawanna said. “Yes, these devils wanted to send two or three teachers to the hospital and put on a media show,” MP Duminda Dissanayake said.
Ministers Prasanna Ranatunga and Manusha Nanayakkara met a group of Sri Lankan print and electronic media journalists at the Waters Edge Hotel, Battaramulla on Wednesday. “Who really is the Presidential candidate of the Pohottuwa?” Journalists asked Minister Prasanna.
“I said then and I still say today that we should give it to Ranil Wickremesinghe. I said it in the party Convention as well,” Minister Prasanna replied.
“Then what is the story that the SLPP General Secretary is saying that if the President wants to be a candidate, he should obtain the membership of the Pohottuwa? A journalist asked.
“I asked him about it. I gave the answer to that as well,” said Minister Prasanna laughing out loud.
A campaign that ‘Sajith can’ will start next week,” said a journalist looking at Minister Manusha. “If he can, we would not have come to the President,” everyone laughed at the comment of Minister Manusha Nanayakkara.
“The Opposition Leader thinks that he can become the country’s leader by climbing a tree and getting wet in the rain. I am betting that after the next election, he will also lose his Opposition Leader post. We know the stories that the people there tell us. Even if the posters are put up covering the entire country, Sajith won’t win. That is the truth,” Minister Manusha said, recalling his long-term experience. This friendly get-together, where lots of food and drinks were served, continued until midnight.
Last respects
Former Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan’s remains were taken to Parliament on Wednesday for Government and Opposition members to pay their last respects.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who also went to pay his last respects, faced a problem. It was the wreath that he had ordered was not received on time. Minister Prasanna heard about the problem faced by the former President.
“Sir, place this wreath and pay your last respects,” Minister Prasanna said while giving the wreath he had to the former President.
DP Education certificates were presented in Jaffna last week by Dhammika Perera, who is the most talked about figure in the political arena these days.
No Sinhala leader in Jaffna had been able to hold a meeting with 10,000 people from Jaffna. Earlier, Vijaya Kumaratunga was the only recognised leader in Jaffna. But even Vijaya Kumaratunga could not bring 10,000 people from Jaffna. This time, Dhammika Perera filled the Mutruveli Stadium in Jaffna with people. It was by organising a ceremony to present DP Education certificates.
Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapaksa recently gave a wonderful gift to the people of Debokkawa village. Roads to several villages meet at the Debokkawa junction, and the villagers were very interested in building a Buddha shrine at that junction.
The villagers got together and built a beautiful Buddha shrine and they informed Deputy Speaker Rajapaksa about the need for a Buddha statue to be placed there. The villagers were very happy that the Deputy Speaker had done the work to fulfill that request during the Poson Poya week itself. It is also significant that the Sanasa Development Bank had made a financial donation at the request of Deputy Speaker Rajapaksa for that purpose.
