Col R Hariharan
Election scene heats up
A total of 6151 candidates from 21 registered
political parties and 201 independent groups will be contesting for 196
district seats in the parliamentary elections to be held on August 17, 2015.
The United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), the United National Front for
Good Governance (UNFGG) newly formed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe-led
United National Party (UNP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) are
contesting all 22 electoral districts.
Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa out manoeuvred President
Maithripala Sirisena (also chief of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party –SLFP), to secure
UPFA nomination to contest the parliamentary election. But Rajapaksa loyalists
celebrating his nomination were shocked when Sirisena addressing the nation
said that he was against Rajapaksa and predicted he would lose in the general
election.
Explaining
his opposition to the nomination, Sirisena in a detailed statement on July 14 said
irrespective of the party that comes to power, he wanted those who could carry
his pledges forward to be elected. However,
the President said he would remain neutral at the general election and would
not back former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He said that he was against
Rajapaksa and that there were many seniors he could appoint as Prime Minister
in the event the SLFP won the election.
Though
the UPFA coalition was divided between pro and anti Rajapaksa factions, it managed
to put up a candidate list that reflected the differences between the two
camps. However, even if the UPFA wins a majority, in all likelihood Sirisena in
his capacity as President would not appoint Rajapaksa as Prime Minister as
indicated in his statement.
However,
Rajapaksa had tried to play down the differences and maintained that the UPFA
was not divided at all. He said he did not form his own party to contest the
election because he was not prepared to abandon the SLFP for personal gain. He
said he came forward to contest “at the request of the majority of my party and
the UPFA and most importantly the people of this country.”
Showing
his readiness to accommodate fresh, Rajapaksa said “during the last few months
we have started to look at things in a fresh manner and there would be new
ideas which are essential for the development of the nation which we will adopt
during the next five years.”
On
Sri Lanka’s relations with China, Rajapaksa said “not only China, we will work
to improve our relations with all our friends including the West.” On
minorities, the former president said “a special charter will be floated to get
opinions and ideas to improve harmony among all communities from the grass root
level with special programmes.”
The
UPFA released its election manifesto on June 28. Based on the theme “Assurance
for Future” the manifesto describes how the UPFA government would implement
plans and programmes for socio-economic development of the country during the
next five years.
The UNP has formed UNFGG coalition
with dissidents from the UPFA who felt betrayed after it nominated Rajapaksa as
a candidate. The coalition now includes the rightwing Jathika Hela Urumaya
(JHU), the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and its rival the All Ceylon Makkal
Congress (ACMC) and the Tamil People’s Alliance (TPA). The coalition is
contesting on the same plank of corruption free governance it had used
successfully in the presidential election.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is contesting in the northern and eastern provinces on its own. It has the support of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF), the largest Diaspora Tamil body. However, the TNA is likely to extend support to the UNFGG in other areas.
Election prospects of the rival
coalitions appar to be wide open. However, it seems certain that President
would not nominate Rajapaksa as Prime Minister even if the UPFA wins a majority.
According to a media report, Sirisena is likely to nominate the UPFA general
secretary Susil Premajayantha for the post.
Electoral violations
In a major incident of election violence, one woman was killed and 12 others hospitalized when unidentified persons opened fire on a group of UNP supporters carrying out election campaign in a Colombo suburb on July 31, 2015. Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake had just left the venue when the fire was opened. Sri Lanka’s election watchdog Peoples Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) had received complaints relating to 511 electoral and general law violations till July 27, 2015. These included 35 relating to acts of violence while 41 related to electoral and general law violations.
Miscellaneous
NPC: Northern Provincial Council chief minister CV Wigneswaran in a
statement has said that he would not engage in any political propaganda
supporting the TNA candidates. Instead he would take a neutral stance.
Explaining his stand the chief minister said although the TNA chose him as the
chief minister, “it is not ethical for me to support them at the forthcoming
general elections.” He said “those elected by the people should work with
dedication and also upholding unity. I believe that priority should be given to
the progress and well being of the people than the parties.”
Arrest of former LTTE cadre: Tamil Nadu police have arrested a former LTTE cadre Krishnakumar
carrying 75 cyanide capsules, four global positioning systems, seven mobile
phones and Indian and Sri Lankan currency in Uchipulli coast in Tiruchi
district in Tamil Nadu. Two local Tamils who brought him from Madurai bus stand
in a car to Uchipulli have also been arrested. According police sources the
former LTTE cadre was brought for his clandestine return to Jaffna by sea. The
report of the arrest has set off fresh speculation of reviving LTTE activity in
Sri Lanka.
Written on July 31, 2015
(Col
R Hariharan, a retired Military Intelligence specialist on South Asia, served
with the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka as Head of Intelligence. He is
associated with the Chennai Centre for China Studies and the South Asia
Analysis Group. E-Mail: colhari@yahoo.com Blog: http://col.hariharan.info)
Courtesy: South Asia Security Trends, Vol 9 No 7 August 2015
www.security-risks.com
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