Dogs Bark but the Caravan Moves...

In response to the clarion call by the late Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, the nation safeguarded Democracy, in Sri Lanka in January in 2015.  Remarkably UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, pledged his support to the common presidential candidate. Thus, on January 8, 2015, Maithripala Sirisena was elected as President.   

He polled 62 million votes as against 58 million polled by opposing candidate Mahinda Rajapakse.The people also gave a mandate to the President to appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe, as the Prime Minister.   

Despite the chronic economic crises, then prevailing in the country, under the’100 Days UNP Government’, programme, they restored the democratic rights of the people and granted economic relief to the people by cutting down the cost of daily needs. Rs. 10,000 pay hike given to the Government Sector was unique. Accordingly at the General elections held in August 2015, UNP polled 45.7% of votes.   

Moreover the UNP leader Ranil, gaining over 5,50,000 votes became the highest polled candidate.   

LG polls held under the new system and in the most democratic fashion, the SLPP with the blessings of Mahinda Rajapakse, gained 44.6%. The UNP received only 32.6% of votes, which was a visible decline of its popularity as against the 2015 election results at which they received 45.7%

At the recent local Government elections held under the new system and in the most democratic fashion, the SLPP with the blessing of Former President Mahinda Rajapakse, gained 44.6% and boasted victorious. The UNP received only 32.6% of votes, which was a visible decline of its popularity as against the 2015 government election results at which they received 45.7%.   

In the case of MR too, the popularity has declined from 47.6% to 44.6%. Following the 1977 land side UNP victory, the UNP leader, then PM J.R. Jayewardene in his maiden address to the Nation from the historic Pattirippuwa of the Sri Dalada Maligawa, announced that he was making his address not as the UNP leader but as the Leader of the Nation.   

On the Contrary, President Maithripala Sirisena, soon after assuming office as the President of the Country embraced utopian leadership of the SLFP, which commanded 5.8 million of his immediate political enemies. Ever since he got entangled in to an unwarranted political storm and in his unsuccessful attempt to take control of the SLFP, he even resorted to elevate politically bankrupt SLFP colleagues by giving ministerial portfolios. Some of these black and white kit boys did not care for pledges made to masses during polls. The poor farmers and the peasants were ignored and were intimidated without being provided their basic needs including fertilizer. But the people remained flabbergasted not knowing what to do. Millions in housing rent was paid to an actress, obtaining her premises for a ministry office, but remains unused and unoccupied.   

Rice, coconut and many other consumer goods have skyrocketed in the process. The first and foremost election pledge to bring the politically corrupts before the law dragged and lethargically delayed.   

On priority basis, service personnel and Buddhist monk’s cases were taken to legal task simultaneously where the PMs ill-made choice to appoint the economic driver to Central Bank crashed head on bringing him to disrepute. These were some of the reasons for the government’s downfall.   

In such a scenario, the much-delayed local polls were held. Though the head of the Yahapalana Government President Sirisena, who believed that he could compensate mercilessly attacked his partner in good governance; the UNP. In the light of his own goals, the strength of the UNP was reduced to 32% while the President who led the SLFP and UPFA ended up in the 4th place with just 13% votes.   

The President even resorted to elevate politically bankrupt SLFP colleagues by giving ministerial portfolios. Some of them did not care for pledges made to masses during polls. The poor farmers were ignored without being provided their basic needs including fertilizer

Adding insult to injury, empty vessels of the UPFA and SLFP are making the biggest noise, which has now become a mockery. Most of them who were rejected by people in their own electorates started to clamour to set up a SLFP Government and pressurize the PM to resign.   

The is more or less the most pathetic and ridiculous political drama in our recent political history. Sri Lanka has a written constitution and any person with average intelligence knows where the law stands. But for some of the Diyawanna folk, who do not even possess Ordinary Level Examination qualifications are day- dreaming to create ‘nobodies’ into ‘somebodies’. The people have given a clear mandate to the PM to continue his services until 2020.   

But the political lunatics think he should resign in the wake of the local government election results. If the PM should resign due to the fact that the UNP only gained 32.6%, what about the leader with barely13%? Isn’t it a case of the pot calling the kettle black? Ignorance of law is innocence. Dogs may bark, but the caravan keeps moving on...