‘NO CONFIDENCE’ DEFEAT AND JO’S POLITICAL INSTABILITY

The government, a combination of the United National Party (UNP) and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), comfortably defeated the ‘no confidence’ motion against Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake last week in Parliament. It appeared to be so on the surface, but there are different political undertones associated with the motion when throwing some light on the circumstances that led to the moving of it.

If a no confidence motion is passed, at least with a simple majority in Parliament against a minister, he/ she will cease to be a member of the Cabinet forcing the government to make a fresh appointment in his place.

We should stick to it. During the period, we can stake a claim for gains by the government. Likewise, we have to take responsibility for failures while staking a claim for successes, an SLFP minister

Nonetheless, it was a forgone conclusion for anyone that the government enjoyed a majority, and therefore, such a motion by a section of the Opposition would not secure its passage through the House. The Joint Opposition (JO), by all means, would have known this because it ventured out to move the motion. Yet, it proceeded. Then, who was in a political predicament?

It was none other than the SLFP section remaining with the government sharing ministerial responsibilities. On the day of the debate in the House last week, it appeared to be a Herculean task for these members to take a stand. Voting for the motion would have jeopardised their positions in the government. Voting against would have embarrassed them before the rank and file of SLFP, harbouring antigovernment thoughts at the moment. They opted for the second despite the political cost involved.

Actually, the JO expected it when bringing this motion. It wanted their colleagues in the government to be humiliated before party men. It is, in fact, a result of tussle among the sections of the SLFP-LED UPFA to get hold of the party. The JO says it is the genuine force oppositional to the government. Also, the section with the government says it remained with the ruling side for a period. It claims to part ways with the government after the two-year period stipulated in the agreement, and then to work for the strengthening of the party in view of elections expected in 2020. All in all, these SLFP members of the government were in pain ahead of the vote on the motion to justify its decision to stand by the ruling coalition. On such account, it appeared that the no confidence motion was not solely aimed at the Finance Minister. It had other political connotations. Let alone the fact that vote took place and the government comfortably defeated it with 145 votes. It was a gain for the UNP to show off its strength in the House, but only SLFPERS in the government have a difficult time. Now, this section is projected as a force well assimilated into the UNP, and as such, it has no right to stake a claim in the anti-unp political camp hereafter.

Uneasiness felt by these members were visible during their speeches on the motion in the House. At one point, Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, who is also the UPFA Secretary, said people gained some benefits such as the removal of the ban on fish exports to the European Union (EU) because his party joined the government. Alongside, he made it a point to take a swipe at the government at times during his speech. So did Social Empowerment Minister S. B. Dissanayake who is also from the UPFA. They had to serve two purposes -- to be with the government and to retain their vote bases -- simultaneously.

According to inside sources from the JO, the decision was taken after the May Day rally only to ascertain the loyalties of these SLFP members in the government. The government’s section had the May Day rally in Galle while the other section had it in Kirulapone.

“They managed to attract some crowds to the rally in Galle by promising to build the SLFP rather than subjugating it to the UNP. We wanted to test their loyalties for the knowledge of party people. That is why we moved this motion to check how they behave. Now people know where they stand, “a source said.

However, an SLFP minister, under condition of anonymity said the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed with the UNP for two years. “We should stick to it. During the period, we can stake a claim for gains by the government. Likewise, we have to take responsibility for failures while staking a claim for successes,” he said.

They managed to attract some crowds to the rally in Galle by promising to build the SLFP rather than subjugating it to the UNP

PRESIDENT STRICT ON PARLIAMENTARY ATTENDANCE

Before the vote on the motion, President Maithripala Sirisena called for a meeting of the government’s parliamentary group. The Office of the Leader of the House had arranged to show the video footage of the disputed vote on the supplementary estimate the other day in Parliament. Leading government members were absent during the vote and Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella had to rope in the support of two Tamil National Alliance (TNA) members. It was none other than the SLFP section remaining with the government sharing ministerial responsibilities. On the day of the debate in the House last week, it appeared to be a Herculean task for these members to take a stand

But, the required number could not be secured. Finally, the vote was disputed leading to a fresh vote on a later date.

This did not bode well for the government ahead of the vote on the no confidence motion. Having watched the video footage, the President was incensed and reprimanded the members for not being regular in attendance. He stressed the need for all the members to be present in the House during the vote on the no confidence motion to defeat it successfully.

TNA MP RAISES CONCERN ABOUT PEOPLE WITH SHRAPNEL LODGED IN THEIR BODIES

Wanni District TNA MP Sivasakthi Ananthan had a grave concern of his people to be raised in Parliament recently. He directed a question at the government asking for assistance for people with shrapnel embedded in their bodies due to injuries caused by the war .

He said there were as many as 1000 such persons found with such problems. After the matter was taken up, Eelam People’s Democratic Party ( EPDP) Leader Douglas Devananda met Ananthan casually in the parliamentary complex. Although they are political rivals, on this issue they had a cordial chat.

TNA ABSENT DURING VOTE ON NO FAITH MOTION

It is learnt that the TNA leadership wanted to take stand in favour of the government during the vote on the no confidence motion. However, some members of the party held a different view. Finally, the party was absent during the vote.

CHINA BASED ORGANISATION LOOKS TO MORE TIES WITH SRI LANKA

It is reported that China has invited President Sirisena on a state visit . During the past months, the President was seen developing cordial ties with the leaders of the Western world. Against this backdrop, Chinese President Xi Jinping is reported to have extended an invitation to the President. According to some analysts, it is an effort to avoid Sri Lanka being dragged more towards the hands of the western world. China is a country seeking strategic cooperation with Sri Lanka. Alongside, Shanghai Organisation Corporation, a regional grouping acting under the leadership of China and Russia, says it looks forward to a greater role to be played by Sri Lanka as a dialogue partner of it. Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Li Huilai told journalists in Beijing that his government would like Sri Lanka to play a major role in this organisation working for various aspects.