Tuesday, 24 February 2015 00:13
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THE Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is facing challenging times as it attempts to redefine itself to meet unprecedented circumstances. The party is struggling to maintain unity while being entrusted with playing a key role in the country’s historic push towards good governance.
Having a Chairman as President and an Opposition among its members, the party is certainly trying hard to stay the path. A fact that is understood by President Maithripala Sirisena, who according to reports has decided to let off members who participated in the recent rally calling for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to contest for the prime minister’s post at the upcoming general election. Clearly the tactic is to try and keep the party together ahead of a poll that is increasingly threatening to polarise the SLFP no matter what short-term glue is put in the cracks.
Rajapaksa stalwart Udaya Gammanpila was quoted as insisting the ball is now firmly in the court of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA). Having seen the large numbers of supporters still backing President Rajapaksa, it is now the prerogative of the senior leaders to respond. Gammanpila also noted that they had no intention of “humiliating” the key members, clearly referring to the Opposition members linked to the SLFP who would have to back a Rajapaksa candidacy to make it a legitimate UPFA platform. This is a fact that is made all the more difficult as Rajapaksa has already made ambiguous statements pledging not to leave the SLFP but at the same time telling thousands in Nugegoda that he would not ignore their plea either.
The statement read out at the much publicised Nugegoda rally also indicates the tenuous path laid out for Sri Lanka’s reforms. As early as next week the fragile coalition faces what will likely be a tough challenge from the no-confidence motion against Public Peace and Disaster Management Minister John Amaratunga.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has already warned at several rallies that if the no-confidence motion is carried through he will dissolve Parliament and call for general elections, which will severely put the current Government on the back foot for failing to implement its 100-day plan. Crucial changes such as trimming the powers of the executive presidency and enshrining Right to Information legislation will not be made and the country faces disappointment in having missed “yet another bus” as common parlance would put it.
Caught between delivering on promises and focusing on continuity, the Government is seeing time whizz by before it. The SLFP has had tentative discussions on establishing a national Government after the parliament elections, which could mean positive news for the United National Party (UNP). But it is unclear which way the SLFP leadership will swing in the next two months. Despite pledges to support the 100-day plan a no-confidence motion will do exactly the Opposite and threaten to plunge the country into a fresh crisis. Therefore it is critical that the SLFP firstly and the Government at large consolidate.
Wickremesinghe expressed confidence in an interview over the weekend that Rajapaksa would not contest at the parliamentary election but such complacency could come at a massive cost.
