Jayamaha faults UNP hierarchy over poll defeat

Nalin Bandara Jayamaha

• Easter Sunday terror attacks, MCC compact Cabinet approval, media unfairness, insufficient party funding, delaying nominations outlined as key reasons for defeat 
• Claims certain statements made by senior party members had negative impact on Sinhala Buddhist votes
• Suggests PM should step down first rather than Ministers resigning individually and let new President form Govt.
• Says four months are sufficient to prove it’s not easy to deliver election promises
• Warns UNP leadership if hierarchy doesn’t change, will face similar destiny to SLFP

By Charumini de Silva

Development Strategies and International Trade Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara Jayamaha yesterday launched a scathing attack on the United National Party (UNP) hierarchy over the defeat at Saturday’s poll.

He categorically said the defeat of the New Democratic Front (NDF) candidate Sajith Premadasa at the Presidential Poll was something that everyone in his camp is responsible for, while outlining Easter Sunday terror attacks, Cabinet approval for Millennium Challenge Cooperation (MCC) Compact, media unfairness, insufficient funding from the party, and delaying the approval process for nominations as key reasons for the defeat on Saturday.

“I firmly believe that we should not hold our candidate Sajith Premadasa as the only person responsible over the defeat at the Presidential Poll. There were many reasons behind this defeat, and it all was reflected in the outcome at Saturday’s poll. It is important we do a review about the election in order to move forward better,” the Deputy Minister told journalists.

He said the Easter Sunday terror attacks was a key turning point where the Government lost its credibility. 

“According to our opinion polls and research Sajith Premadasa’s popularity among Sinhala Buddhists were only 4% less than Gotabaya Rajapaksa, but soon after the Easter Sunday terror attacks, it shot up to 37%. This is why Sinhala Buddhist votes at the Presidential Polls were limited to 25%,” he pointed out.

Jayamaha also charged that the MCC compact was also given Cabinet approval at an inappropriate time, which actually became a major advantage for the Gotabaya Rajapaksa camp to gain some additional votes by the wrong impression they created through the economic corridor, where the country will be divided through it.

The Deputy Minister claimed the delay by UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe in declaring their presidential candidate also had a negative impact, as they didn’t have enough time to talk to all the groups they were initially planning to negotiate with.

“Our candidate had to face many challenges from the beginning of the campaign. We also ran into a financial crisis in the middle of the campaign process, where we didn’t have sufficient funds to carry out the promotions as strongly as we wanted. As a party, we need to do an inquiry as to how much funding we received for the presidential campaign, how was it utilised and who was coordinating it?”

He said the media institutes were also very biased, and gave limited publicity opportunity for the UNF candidate.

Jayamaha claimed that certain statements made by senior members of the party also had negative impact on Sinhala Buddhist votes. 

“Just before the postal voting, Ranil Wickremesinghe said he will remain as the Prime Minister and that really triggered in the minds of the people who were looking for a change. Although many of the members were pretending they were for Sajith Premadasa, they actually worked in favour of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa camp. Some of these members were seen at the swearing-in ceremony in Anuradhapura on Monday and people who were present also served them with a deserving welcome,” he said.

When asked if he was stepping down from the Ministerial portfolio, Jayamaha said that as a Government, the Prime Minister should initiate it rather than Ministers resigning individually. 

“As a responsible Government, the Prime Minister should have stepped down immediately after the defeat, rather than having discussions with the Rajapaksa camp. The Parliament can go on till end of February, and if at all he should discuss with us, and not the Opposition party. This is why I say Ranil Wickremesinghe and his clan just want to hold the party leadership for their own benefit, and that they are not at all worried about the members of the party or the countrymen,” he claimed.

The Deputy Minister said if the UNP leadership doesn’t change for better with a new young leadership, it will also end up having to face a similar destiny to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

He pointed out that if the Government steps down immediately, allowing the new President to form a new Government, they will have enough time to prove the general public that it is not easy to deliver the promises they made. 

“Some of our members are working for the Rajapaksa camp, even if they are UNP. If we step down now they have around four months to deliver on their election promises, and people will also understand the reality of these. I think this should be a strategic move that we as the Government should do, in order to give a decent fight in the upcoming General Election in April,” he said.

Jayamaha said he would hand over a letter to the Prime Minister highlighting his concerns and suggestions for the party leadership, and if they fail to consider, he will also step down from his Bingiriya organiser position.