Power Avidity Versus Sovereignty, Patriotism, and Development
By Kanthar Balanathan
The recent election in SriLanka is a clear-cut evidence of the verdict by the people that they are not satisfied with the current government and the Prime Minister Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe. Some may argue that the voters had no choice but to cast their vote to SLPP (Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna) led by Mahinda Rajapaksa. This may direct analysts to assess that those who judged that way may have been living in a world of illusion. There are so many factors to be taken to conclude to make a decision as to why and how SLPP received the seats as stated below. SLPP being a newborn matured intellectual baby political party, was able to show the peoples support and verdict within two years. Sri Lanka National Front (SLNF) and Our Sri Lanka Freedom Front (OSLFF) previously known as a minor party, it was relaunched in 2016 as the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. The distribution of seats, votes, and strength are as follows:
Results:
Party | Votes | % | Seats | Local Authorities |
SLPP | 4,941,952 | 44.65 | 3,369 | 231 |
UNP | 3,612,259 | 32.63 | 2,385 | 34 |
UPFA | 989,821 | 8.94 | 674 | 2 |
JVP | 693,875 | 6.27 | 431 | 0 |
SLFP | 491,835 | 4.44 | 358 | 7 |
ITAK | 339,675 | 3.07 | 407 | 41 |
It is clear that JVP with their zero local authorities capture should dissolve their party and go home and do something worth to their mother country rather waste their useful life in politics. This is not a burn-in failure as JVP has been there for a while with no victories. The UPFA and SLFP under Sirisena had a severe failure of 2 & 7 indicating that the Presidential maneuvering of the local election has come to an end with catastrophic failure, similar to Chandrika Bandaranaike. This indicates that even the President could not show his colors but unpopularity. The laughing part is ITAK gaining 407 seats with 339,675 votes, which is 834 votes per seat, while UNP gaining 2385 seats with 3,612,259, which is 1514 votes per seat, JVP of 1609 per seat.
With Ranil as Prime Minister, maybe after the directive from the USA/Embassy, what more can the people of SL expect? As executive president, Sirisena did not oversee any development, neither the PM, but emptying the coffer of SriLankan treasury. Why should MPs be given Crores of money, Cars and other perks?
The current PM, President, and the cabinet are capable, like vultures only to engage themselves in punitive and retributory actions against potential winners of 2020. This means SriLanka cannot expect democracy and maintain the country as a sovereign nation. This is 2018, of the twenty-first century. The world has advanced in technology. People have inherited knowledge, skill, know-how, expertise, in the areas of economics, technology, politics, and are self-motivating themselves in research capability. This is not Ph.D. research, however, every event will be researched and analyzed of the shortfalls and gains. Sri Lankans are not fools today.
Comparative judgment of (i) the direct overseeing of development island wide by the then President Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa and (ii) cleaning up of the gangsters, and the western region by Gotabaya Rajapaksa, (iii) development of the capital city program under the direct management of GR, we can give a score of 98% to the Rajapaksa team. However, a score of 15% only can be given to the Sirisena + RW team. Since 2015, the current Sirisena team have been hog washing the Sri Lankans with lies, playing on the intelligence of the SriLankan mass and have taken the citizens for a ride.
SriLanka needs SLPP with the MR + GR team for patriotism and socio-economic development.