28 June 2017 09:00 am
The Diyawanna council’s presiding one, Boralugoda scion wearing the mantle as the JO boss and a number of other VIPs were among the distinguished guests who attended a commemorative ceremony held to mark the birth anniversary of the son of the Father of the Nation, twice the country’s Prime Minister.
Some people were surprised when the Presiding One who was the first to address the gathering referred to Boralugoda scion as the leader of the Joint Opposition.
The ceremony over, the distinguished guests were being hosted to tea when the organizer of the event, the late leader’s paternal nephew now no longer in politics fixed his glance on Boralugoda scion with an enigmatic smile and asked the Presiding One. “Sir, when you preside over the august assembly, you don’t recognize him as the leader of the JO. But in your address earlier, you referred to him as the leader of the JO. If you are prepared to recognize his status as the JO leader outside the assembly, why don’t do so inside the assembly?”
Everyone present had thought that this question would give the Presiding One a jolt.
However, the Presiding One who looked calm and serene replied with a smile: “In the assembly, there are a number of party leaders and I have to listen to them. Here, the situation is quite different. There are no party leaders here for me to consult!”