Fast-changing political scenario and confusion: Alliances within alliances

In Sri Lanka’s political firmament, one thing certain about is its uncertainty and fast changing scenarios. What is in focus this week would be different from what it was last week. Like in a movie, the main star is President Maithripala Sirisena. In the recent months and weeks, for him, the drama has centred on his political future. The SLPP, now a major political party, refused to make him a presidential candidate together with his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). Just over a week ago, he promised his SLFP MPs

that he would come as their candidate and would make an official announcement. That never came.

Thereafter, he declared to the SLFP Women’s organisation that he would find an “honourable” way out suggesting he would not contest. Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa received a mandate at the same time from party leaders backing him to invite anyone who helps in the victory of their presidential candidate. That move evaporated after the SLFP Central Committee decided Sirisena should be their presidential candidate. This too could change.

All this was too much even for Dayasiri Jayasekera, the General Secretary of the SLFP. At Wednesday’s talks with the SLPP, he was apologetic. All that rhetoric against the SLPP and their leaders, he confessed, was not his own. He said he was doing so under heavy pressure. You know who. The SLPP side handed the SLFP team amendments to the proposed Constitution for the joint alliance. The draft had earlier been made available by Nimal Siripala de Silva, the senior deputy leader of the SLFP. That will be the subject of discussion at their next round of talks.

Now, the protracted delay of the talks has worried two partner parties of the joint opposition. They have asked Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa whether they could also hold talks with the SLPP to form an alliance. One is Wimal Weerawansa’s National Freedom Front ( NFF) and the other, Vasudeva Nanayakkara’s Lanka Sama Samaja Party ( LSSP). Mahinda Rajapaksa met the duo yesterday to discuss the matter. They had written to him earlier. Further talks are on the cards.