Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa is reportedly being fed a new “winning formula” by his self-proclaimed advisors and media strategists. Their latest theory suggests that if Namal Rajapaksa siphons off National People’s Power (NPP) votes, Premadasa will automatically secure the presidency.
Premadasa and Advisors Blamed for Right Camp’s Demise
These same advisors, who accuse President Ranil Wickremesinghe of destroying Sri Lanka’s two-party system, conveniently forget Premadasa’s own role in the southern camp’s downfall. It was Premadasa, they say, who, in an attempt to make Pohottuwa’s Dallas president against Ranil, brought ruin upon both the Right camp and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). While Premadasa takes the blame, it’s an open secret that these so-called advisors and media gurus were the masterminds behind the strategy.
At a time when President Wickremesinghe was striving to stabilize the country, Premadasa reportedly “fled through the back door.” At the same time, SJB economic expert Harsha de Silva took an “extremely irresponsible stance,” declaring the economy beyond recovery. In contrast, President Wickremesinghe moved to stabilize the nation by appointing a capable young team from Pohottuwa (such as Shehan Semasinghe and Kanchana Wijesekera) as cabinet ministers. Therefore, the “crocodile tears” shed by Premadasa and Harsha, who prioritized their political futures over the country’s, have become a mockery.
The Malimawa Vote: A Challenge for Traditional Parties
According to Premadasa’s strategists, weakening the NPP, led by the JVP, requires a left-leaning alternative. They believe this alternative can be forged by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, and figures like Wimal Weerawansa. They calculate that as this left-leaning alternative siphons off JVP votes, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya will benefit.
However, Waruna Rajapaksha, an SJB Gampaha electorate organizer, argues that to win over voters disillusioned with the NPP, traditional political parties must practically demonstrate their renewal. He cautions that if traditional parties believe people will flock to them merely out of frustration with the government or the NPP, they are mistaken. He warns that “people who have been burnt by a firebrand, then by a firefly, are not ready to be deceived a third time.”
Political analyst and lecturer in political science, Hemapriya Kaviratne, who recently mentored SJB local government councilors, also emphasizes that people disillusioned with both the NPP and the government are looking for a new political movement. He states that these voters are ready to cast their ballots for a party that can convince them of change, not just in political methodology and appearance, but also in attitudes.
Yet, Premadasa’s advisors and media gurus portray this as an effortless victory for him. It is the responsibility of those who love their country, we say, to collectively defeat Premadasa and Harsha, who thought only of their political ambitions and not of the nation. We are confident that when the NPP’s influence wanes, the presidency will go to a leader who genuinely loves the country, not Premadasa or Harsha, because those disillusioned with the NPP are seeking a fresh alternative.
Note: Thineth Vidhusha Rawanasinghe
