Gota has long dialogue with recuperating Kabir

Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa who now heads Viyath Maga, an organisation made up of professionals and businessmen, sprung a surprise on the United National Party (UNP) Chairman and Minister Kabir Hashim last Thursday.

He paid a visit to his Rajagiriya residence to see how the former UNP General Secretary was faring after a brief illness. Mr Hashim had undergone surgery for a nose and throat ailment at a private nursing home and had returned to his residence to recuperate only that day.

Mr Rajapaksa went there after a wedding at a five star hotel in the City. He was accompanied by Dilith Jayaweera, a businessman with links to a media outfit that is engaged in bi- partisan publicity campaigns (for the Rajapaksa-led SLPP and the Wickremesinghe-led UNP).

A 90 minute chat began with the two sides avoiding subjects related to politics. However, like fish taking to water, they were soon discussing politics and how to improve the public service. Mr Rajapaksa said that instead of appointing advisors on many a subject, he preferred making them Additional Secretaries to Ministries so that they could take decisions and enforce them. Mr. Hashim, who has been told by doctors not to exercise his vocal chords too much, acknowledged the viewpoint by nodding his head.

As the duo prepared to leave, a relative of Mr. Hashim asked Mr. Rajapaksa: “Is it final that you would be the ‘Joint Opposition’ candidate for the presidency?” Mr. Hashim broke his silence. “Ey vagey deval ahanna epaa,” or don’t ask such things, he advised.

It is noteworthy that the visit came when former UNP Chairman and Minister Malik Samarawickrema and Minister Mangala Samaraweera castigated Mr Rajapaksa in two separate statements they issued. Mr. Samarawickrama accused Mr. Rajapaksa of exhorting the UNP’s economic policies when he addressed a well-turned out meeting of Viyath Maga at the Shangri La hotel and Mr. Samaraweera referred to alleged corrupt activities associated with Mr. Rajapaksa. The Viyath Maga event was also attended by prominent businessmen who were earlier staunch backers of the UNP – a move that has angered the UNP leadership.

According to at least one insider, Mr Rajapaksa had voiced a future economic framework for Sri Lanka on the lines of the speech made by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Communist Party’s annual sessions in Beijing in March this year. Co-incidentally, weeks earlier, he had spent a month in a Chinese university.