President Maitripala Sirisena committed to abolish the executive presidency when seeking office at the election in January, last. But, he is reportedly in a dilemma now as to how it should be done. First, his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is not for its total abolition at the moment. At the recent Central Committee meeting of the party, the matter was taken up for discussion. The seniors put forth their views in this direction.
Under the present constitution, the executive has control over the provincial councils through the appointment of governors. In case, the present executive system is scrapped once and for all, the grip on the provincial councils will loosen making way for them to become autonomous bodies to some extent at least. So, the current system should not be altered without evolving separate constitutional provisions to stop the provincial councils sliding towards autonomy.
The party took up this position at the Central Committee meeting, and it is to be discussed at the Steering Committee of the Constitutional Assembly appointed for the purpose of working out proposals for a new Constitution.
Against this backdrop, it is argued whether the President is backsliding of his commitment to people ahead of the Presidential Election conducted on January 8, 2015. Yet, he is reported to have informed the SLFP Central Committee that he will not contest for executive presidency once again.
The Steering Committee headed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe meets regularly to develop constitutional proposals. The United National Party (UNP) led by him stands for the total abolition of executive presidency to vest its power with Legislature. The SLFP is supportive of the transfer of some powers, but not all. Already, the Steering Committee has taken up for discussion the electoral reforms.
Already, the parties have, more or less, reached understanding on the model proposed for a new electoral system. It is a modified version of the New Zealand electoral system, as called by its advocates. The Steering Committee is yet to touch upon the subjects of executive presidency and power devolution or sharing. However, the two principal parties- the UNP and the SLFP – are slated to face differences with each other on such core matters of constitution making. The success of the process depends only on their ability to make consultations with each other, to reach consensus and to strike a compromise.
New Political Front in the making
Dissension prevailed within the Joint Opposition which is the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) faction ostensibly acting under the leadership of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, over the involvement of his brother former Minister Basil Rajapaksa in its activities clamouring for the formation of a new political front for the time being.
Some JO members loathed his role, but junior Rajapaksa, backed by a section of former UPFA local government members, persisted with his political work soliciting support from the rank and file to form the new movement. Finally, the former President called for a meeting with the leaders of the political parties aligned with the Joint Opposition. Mr. Basil Rajapaksa also attended the meeting conducted on Tuesday.
The former President asked his brother not to estrange the Joint Opposition leaders in the process. It was an impetus to iron out dissension for the next step. In the aftermath of that meeting, a new political movement is now in the making as a precursor for a registered party to contest future elections.
Once weak Badulla is chosen as launching pad
The Joint Opposition chose the Badulla district to start rallying public support for the new front. Accordingly, its MPs, along with former local authorities’ members, will carry out a house to house campaign, coupled with pocket meetings, on July 2, 3 and 4 covering all the nine electorates of the Badulla district.
“This will be a new political movement to give leadership to 5.8 million people who voted former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the last election. Likewise, it will give [political voice to those others disgruntled with the current affairs of governance, starting from spiralling cost of living to the shrinking of democratic space,” Mr. Basil Rajapaksa told .
For the selection of Badulla, the Joint Opposition has every reason. In fact, the popularity waning of the Rajapaksa government was visible first in the Badulla district at the Uva Provincial Council election conducted prior to the Presidential Election. The UNP, as the then opposition, gave a close fight in the Badulla district at that election under the political leadership of Minister Harin Fernando as the chief ministerial candidate. The UNP lost the district, but it narrowed the margin indicative of the fact that the UPFA had started losing its ground. Since 2005, it was the first electoral setback for the UPFA under Mr. Rajapaksa who used to win almost all the electorates with thumping majorities against the UNP. At the presidential election that followed, Mr. Rajapaksa lost Badulla with a small margin. Worse, the UPFA suffered another blow at the parliamentary election in August, last year as it was defeated at all the nine constituencies of the district. In that since, Mr. Rajapaksa’s weakest political base is Badulla.
The very same district has been handpicked to revive his political journey. According to Mr. Basil Rajapaksa, the Joint Opposition would cover all the villages in the district during the three-day period earmarked for the programme, and to address people.
There is yet another reason that has weakened the Joint Opposition in Badulla. Its UPFA strongman Nimal Siripala de Silva has joined the government leaving the Joint Opposition with no proper leadership in the district.
On account of all such factors, Badulla has been selected as the launching pad of the new political movement.
After Badulla, it will campaign in other districts by appointing new organizers and all.
The SLFP section with the government holds different views in this respect. Some, including its General Secretary Duminda Dissanayake, apparently prefer the Rajapaksa loyalists to quit the party to team up with the new front. Yet, there are others trying to sort out differences. One is Labour and Labour Relations Minister John Seneviratne who proposed to accommodate former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa as the secondary level leader of the SLFP, next to President Sirisena.
He asserted that he would push for it vigorously again as a measure for uniting factions.
UNP braces for next poll
In view of winning the next national election, the UNP has launched a major membership drive in the country with the aim of recruiting three million members to the party. First, such membership drive took place in Kuliyapitiya to be followed by another in Galle.
The Prime Minister, as the party leader, also got involved in the programme.
The party has introduced a ‘mobile app’ to offer membership electronically to its members with a fee of Rs.20 each.
Along with the UNP, it means all the main political parties brace for the next national elections. Earlier, a snap election could have been called for after the lapse of one year for Parliament. However, that constitutional provision was done away with after the enactment of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.
Any snap election is possible only after four years, and that too should be done only after passing a resolution in the House. Otherwise, the full term has to be exhausted.
