Sirisena’s sledgehammer

• Fires fiery missive; Slams Mahinda; dashes prime ministerial hopes

By Dharisha Bastians

President Maithripala Sirisena has struck a second, more devastating blow to his predecessor’s prime ministerial hopes 48 hours before campaigning ends for Monday’s Parliamentary poll, in a fiery missive denouncing Mahinda Rajapaksa for his power-hunger and inclination to play communal politics.

The ‘Dear John’ type epistle flays his party’s Kurunegala District Candidate and former President Rajapaksa for his many sins, and accuses him of being a ‘prisoner’ of smaller constituent parties within the UPFA, effectively destroying the SLFP.

“You must take the responsibility for making the glorious SLFP, a party with a 64-year history, hostage to the petty agendas of small parties and groups,” President Sirisena charged in his five-page letter.

The letter made it clear to the former President that under no post-election scenario could he hope to be appointed Prime Minister, even if the UPFA wins an outright majority.

“I believe that if the UPFA obtains the 113 required to form a Government, the premiership will go to a SLFP senior leader. If the UPFA comes close to 113 and needs more seats to form a Government, as Executive President, I can intervene to secure that majority. Even in that scenario, it is not you who should be prime minister, but another senior party leader,”

President Sirisena charged that Rajapaksa had deprived SLFP seniors of a political future when he passed the draconian 18th Amendment.

“If you had retired gracefully like other presidents before you after two terms in office, there would have been a chance for a senior member in our party to contest the presidency and also become prime minister. Now it looks as if you are intent to steal their opportunities again at the end of this election. Even now should they not be given their due?” the letter asks.

He called on Rajapaksa to provide his blessing to grant another senior member of the SLFP the premiership, if the UPFA wins the election on Monday.

“In the name of the people of this country and the SLFP, I request you to express your willingness, your support, your generosity and your blessing, for Nimal Siripala De Silva, John Seneviratne, Chamal Rajapaksa, Athauda Seneviratne, A.H.M. Fowzie, Susil Premajayantha or Anura Priyadarshana Yapa to be appointed premier after the Parliamentary election,” the President appealed.  

President Sirisena also urged Rajapaksa to act with his head instead of his emotions until polling day, and refrain from making remarks that could spread communal tensions in the country.

“Despite your frequent visits to temples, I have my doubts that your spirituality has increased at all. In your private meetings, it is reported that your words are filled with hatred, bitterness and anger,” the President’s scathing letter continued.

He accused Mahinda Rajapaksa of turning the SLFP into a party that represented only the majority community in the country.

“Since you took over the leadership of the SLFP nine years ago, this party has turned it back on social realities and pluralism,” Sirisena charged.

“Do you not see how these communal flames you yourself had set alight worked against you and precipitated your defeat on 8 January?

Rajapaksa’s brand of extremism was not suited to a great party like the SLFP, the President’s letter said.

“The challenge is before me now to transform the SLFP and rebuild the party so that it will represent the interest of all Sri Lankans, instead of a single race or religion. Today all those around you are inflaming communal tensions to win preferential votes,” he said.

The tell-all letter reveals intrigue and bickering during the UPFA’s nominations campaign, and President Sirisena’s deep disillusionment at the behaviour of his predecessor, who he said was willing to split the SLFP and contest separately, at the ‘drop of a hat’.  

Sirisena claims he tactically withdrew from battles over the UPFA nominations, to prevent the SLFP from splitting ahead of the elections.

“When the Gampaha District nomination list was being prepared, I was hoping that the Western Province Chief Minister would step aside, since it was not practical for three members of the Ranatunga family to contest in the same district,” his letter said.

President Sirisena said that Rajapaksa took the position that if the Chief Minister did not get a nomination, he would contest separately. “So once again I was silent and I let you win, even when your position resulted in one member of the Ranatunga family leaving the SLFP to join the UNP. The risk of a 64-year-old party splitting in two over the nomination of a single individual was averted only because I tactically withdrew at that point,” he charged in the letter.

President Sirisena said that if he had been given an opportunity to spearhead the SLFP election campaign, the party could have attracted Tamil and Muslim voters and the younger generation.

“The Tamil and Muslim communities have immense faith in me,” he said in a clear broadside at Rajapaksa, who has failed to muster votes from minority communities in recent elections.

President Sirisena also accused Rajapaksa of failing to stand up for him when his brother Basil Rajapaksa was trying to destroy his political career.

“The political friendship we had built from being members of the SLFP was ruined because of Basil Rajapaksa’s conduct, as you well know. His attempt to end my political career and portray me as an unsuccessful politician ended up boomeranging on you all.”

“I thought you would have the humility to stand up for me when Basil Rajapaksa was obstructing me. But all the time up to 21 November when I stepped out to be the common candidate, you failed to do so,” he said.