Dayasiri commits political hara-kiri: Harin

Appears to have accepted a cash inducement

United National Party (UNP) MP Harin Fernando lashed out at his colleague Dayasiri Jayasekara in Parliament yesterday for pledging his support to the Government.

Responding to Mr. Jayasekara’s statement criticising the UNP leadership, Mr. Fernando said Mr. Jayasekara appeared to have accepted a huge cash inducement from the government for this political double deal aimed at diluting the UNP ahead of the elections to the Provincial Councils. He said with this decision Mr. Jayasekara had committed political hara-kiri.“I feel sad for what happened today. It is the day of Mr. Jayasekara’s political funeral. He will never be able to return to Parliament. When I entered this Parliament as a novice MP, Mr. Jayasekara was my role model. I asked him not to resign. There can be problems within a party. The best way is to remain patient until the right time comes. Mr. Jayasekara reached new heights in politics thanks to the UNP and its supporters only. Otherwise, he only contested for a local

Mr. Jayasekara appeared to have accepted a huge cash inducement from the government for this political double deal aimed at diluting the UNP ahead of the elections to the PCs

authority in 1997 under an SLFP-led alliance. He topped the list. Yet, the chairmanship was not offered to him. Therefore, he joined the UNP and contested the election. In 2004, he was elected on the UNP ticket as the last member in the list. In 2010, he came first because he could attract votes as a person with aesthetic skills,” Mr. Fernando said.

“Mr. Jayasekara was a person seeking shortcuts to political success. It does not work. He is going to ruin himself politically. The ruling party seniors will not back him for sure. I recall very well how he criticised President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family. He has teamed up with them today,” he said.