Pressure building for polls

Political events are likely to take centre stage again this week as the fortnight countdown begins for the United National Party (UNP) before the no-confidence motion against Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake is taken up for debate in Parliament. 

Caught between the 20th Amendment and two no-confidence motions against the Finance Minister and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Government will have to make some tough decisions soon, analysts believe. The continued acrimony over the 20th Amendment between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and UNP along with minority parties has resulted in impatience among the public, who feel their opportunity to elect their representatives is being hindered. This is especially so given Cabinet has decided the round of elections will be held under the existing system of proportional representation.  

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Leader Minister Rauff Hakeem has said that 22 minority parties have unanimously decided to oppose the 20th Amendment. The minor parties over the weekend met with civil society leader Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero for a discussion on the electoral reforms. Following the meeting, Ven. Sobhitha Thero told media that if consensus cannot be reached on the 20th Amendment, instead of passing the legislation, Parliament should be dissolved and a general election should be held.

Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved the new electoral system proposed for the 20th Amendment that increased the number of Parliamentary seats to 237 from the current 225 and the proposed legislation has been gazetted but there is little indication consensus will be reached on the proposals. 

For the UNP, the time has come to go to the people. Its Working Committee decided on Friday to prepare for a general election and to contest solo, staying true to its plan to form a national government only after the polls. However, several minor parties including the SLMC have expressed willingness to contest the next general election under Premier Wickremesinghe.

With or without the 20th Amendment, all parties are readying for polls. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, according to weekend newspaper reports, has rejected an offer by his successor Maithripala Sirisena to appoint him to a ‘distinguished office’ if he quits politics. The offer was made by President Sirisena to a six-member Committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) on Friday.

The committee, named at the SLFP’s National Executive Council meeting chaired by Sirisena on Tuesday, was to evolve ways and means of bringing about unity in the party. The same night the six-member Committee met in Colombo and decided to ask Sirisena to take Rajapaksa on board for the Parliamentary election campaign among other matters.

Sirisena had reportedly said Rajapaksa would not be made the prime ministerial candidate nor appointed on the National List, instead offering a “Sambhavaneeya Thanathurak,” or a distinguished office. Rajapaksa is reported to have rejected the offer and insisted he would continue in office as the people wished him to remain. No doubt more words will be exchanged on this topic in the coming days. 

Such preparations can only mean one thing: Elections. The UNP cannot lose face against the looming no-confidence motions. Irrespective of whatever pledges President Sirisena has made to his party, he cannot also ignore the threat of possible defeat faced by the UNP as a minority in Parliament. The pressure is building for Sri Lanka to go to the polls again.