The parties that have pledged their support to the common opposition movement are not too happy about former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga‘s active role in the campaign and have expressed their wish for her to stay out of it, Colombo Telegraph reliably learns.
According to sources, the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) has threatened to boycott their presence in the campaign with effect from today unless CBK decides to step down from her current ‘active role’ in the campaign. It has been noted that JHU frontliner Champika Ranawaka was extremely upset over the comment that was made by CBK on Tuesday in Horagolla when Maithripala Sirisena visited her parents’ memorial monuments.
In retaliation to President Rajapaksa‘s comment about possessing ‘files’ of defected Ministers, she had told the reporters, “I know Mahinda was talking about exposing the files of the break-away members. He has plundered state resources and now blames foreign conspiracies for the present plight. We will expose all the ‘files’ on Mahinda, his brothers and sons when we come into power after this election.”
Even some of the UNP leaders had been distressed by this comment of hers and have sided with JHU in their dislike of CBK being involved in the campaign, pointing out they do not wish to engage in a hate campaign.
Meanwhile, Colombo Telegraph also learns that the book written by Senior journalist and Editor Victor Ivan titled ‘Chaura Rajina’ (The Queen of Deceit) that shed light on CBK’s actions when she was in power has been used as fodder to fuel the mud-slinging campaign that has been initiated by the Rajapaksa regime against those involved in the common opposition movement. The initial plan had been to publish the book in parts in Sinhala newspapers. But due to restrictions owing to copyright issues, plans have been laid to broadcast the book chapter by chapter through state media. An individual named Raja Dharmapala (who had been a former monk) and SLBC Chairman Hudson Samarasinghe are due to carry out the programs featuring the books on special programs aired in SLBC and SLRC.
Among the other reasons that has led to some members of the common opposition movement objecting to her role in the campaign has been the corruption charges levelled against her since she was even fined for corruption in the Water’s Edge verdict in which she was convicted of corruption and fined Rs. 3 million by the Supreme Court.
Peace Lover / November 27, 2014
and in the meantime K A Sumanasekera gets ready for his next posting hence let me help him,buddy use key words like such as Vellala CM,Diasporians,TNA proxies,Ranil,a dollar a day,Dalits,erection,happy ending,dosh,posh,Vellalas,our way of life,TGTE,sira,how cool is that! gosh…..i have helped K A Sumanasekera to write his next piece of crap ;-)
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Fathima Fukushima / November 27, 2014
Fight mud with mud.
MIG deal, Lambogini deal, Mr Ten Percent, world’s most expensive kilometer of road, Mihin Air, Mattala Airport (no places land), Hambantota port (no ships come), etc.
The KING of deceit!
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Chandra / November 27, 2014
Fathima – (aka Lorenzo)
Go repeat that at LW for the numb nuts
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bo / November 27, 2014
Have you leap frogged?
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What goes around comes around / November 27, 2014
No one wants to read our rubbish.
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Thiru / November 27, 2014
Fuku pleas take off your purda, we want to see if you a man or a woman,
“We will expose all the ‘files’ on Mahinda, his brothers and sons…”
We hope CBK has a file on mass ethnic cleansing of Tamils by Mara brothers in the final solution to the war in 2009; and hope she passes it to the UNHCR for investigations instead of waiting for them to come to power – it will fix Maha-loka well and truly in time for the election.
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Lasantha / November 27, 2014
Great comment Fathima.
Let the worms come out from Pandora’s box. After all the coming Presidential elections is all about corruption, thuggery, Looting, smuggling,black money etc,etc, and using Executive powers to suppress all these from public.
Citizens have a right to know what the rulers do with their money before they cast vote.
Also Madam CBK still holds major position among UPFA and SLFP MPs and voters.
I think Madam CBK should be given a voice to express her views during elections.
Let the voters be informed and educated who are the biggest Crooks, thugs, culprits and Alibabas are and let them finally decide whom to vote.
Educating the voter is a must. Keeping Silence will not help anybody.
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AVB / November 27, 2014
Because of BBS recent upraise, JHU was sidelined. Moving away from MR and then getting inside the coalition could be well thought plan. JHU might create internal friction in the fragile coalition, and then leaving coalition at the final week accusing them for foreign conspiracy, bla bla…. Then JHU clan could prove to MR/Gota that they are more important than BBS….
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Lanka Watch / November 27, 2014
It is a wise move if CBK sticks to advisory role as her days are over
and cannot dream of playing any active,leading role,once again, making decisions etc.as she does not have the full backing of the masses as she had faulted too when she was the two time President . Mr. Srisena, unlike elite CBK, has the support of the rural masses as he is the son of a farmer and an experienced, simple politician with far less political sins done and he has the credentials to become the leader. If the opposition wants to win the elections, CBK must play a hidden role and Mr. Srisena should distance himself from CBK, at least, at the political meetings in order, not give room for speculations that if elected,he will run a puppet Govt.
The rumblings have already started by JHU and will be followed by JVP
and some of the Buddhist clergy , and possibly by TNA as she used
Kadirgamar to dislodge Tamil unity. She does not have the support of the Muslims either. MS is new and the people may want to test him as
a leader if he acts independently and he should play his cards wisely and act fast to pacify the dissidents in time before the horses start
pulling in different directions.
It is a wise move to form a unitary govt of all parties including the minorities if MS wins and once the EP system is abolished, nepotism, intimidation and thuggery and day light robbery of the treasury, wiped out and good governance is put in place, call up a parliamentary elections and parties can enter their candidates under their banner and winner of higher number of seats will become the Prime Minister and a democratic govt forms.
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shankar / November 27, 2014
She seems to have more balls than the others in the opposition.They are so terrified that mahinda can go on the attack it seems threatening about files etc,but opposition have to shut their mouths and be a mouse like ranil has been for years.Thank god opposition has got a woman who has more courage than the so called men among them.
JHU cannot be trusted anyway.THey have been with mahinda right upto the last moment and will rush into his arms given half a chance.The bad blood between them and mahinda started after Champika lost the key power and energy portfolio.Their demands are reasonable,not abolishment of the presidency,but reducing its powers so they are just waiting for mahinda to open the door and they will rush in.
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Sinhala Banda / November 28, 2014
Shonker
I am not sure whether this dirty corrupted woman even has [Edited out] thanks to the uneducated bank robber.
We all know how she ran the show in her 10 year anacky period. At that time Ranil Nickamasinghe even almost gave 2/3 of this land on a silver plate to the uneducated bank robber velu Preba. Birds with same feather flock together. The gamaya from Pollonnaruwa does not even have a a pinch of brain to understand that he has been nicely trpped by these spineless loosers. What a pack of jockers in this united front.
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Rabok / November 29, 2014
MS and his folks desperately wants to be the next generation of kings in this country ~ his vision is blurred by this egoistic drive ~ spineless losers grabbed him ~ patted him ~ made him the so called king ~ Anduwa Induwa ~ now the devil dance begins ~
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whywhy / November 29, 2014
JHU can have only one demand,remove this president and
stop at that because they have come out rejected.For
the role they played behind the screen for a common
candidate with the blessings of other powers,they will
get their share with due respect.It is very childish to
dictate terms to experienced politicians just because
they are “Jathika Hela Urumaya.” It is good for them
not to over estimate their real position and get real.
We remember CBK said one thing to Colombo and another
to the country side in election times.And She too said
that she has the files of Karu,on election meetings.
But no files after elections won.They all are still
in the “gallery” pleasing mindset.More than 90 percent
of MR politics is just imitation of other party leaders
with added duplicity without any sense of shame.He just
shamelessly made it personal to claim credit for the
defeat of LTTE,which was a united effort of all
political parties including Karuna’s organization.
Because of Executive presidency everybody else lost
their shares and he completely destroyed SF of his
share!How cheap is it?Didn’t he make politics personal?
Why should we make a president a monster? Abolish it
so that another monster is not made.
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punchisingho / November 27, 2014
Champika knows that JHU has less influence on Maithri when Cahndrika is in the background.On the national question too Chandrika and JHU have two stances.
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khan / November 27, 2014
Chandrika has to tell about plundering state properties by Mahinda and family because no one directly acuse Mahinda. She has to campaign Gampaha district because still significant amount of Bandaranayake loyalist are there. They will decide which side will win Gampaha district.
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Senaratne / November 27, 2014
CBK was asked to lead the campaign by Harry J. It is well known now that Harry J has agreed to fund the campaign for Maithree. Common candidate must ensure funds are collected for his campaign through legitimate sources.
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RICHARD / November 27, 2014
Why is it that some of the UNP do not want to investigate MR & Co for corruption among other criminal activities? Is it because they too want to have a go at making money, use thuggery and live off the fat of the people WITHOUT BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS?
WE WANT A PLEDGE FROM THE COMMON CANDIDATE AND RANIL THAT THIS TIME YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE CHANGE IN THE POLITICAL CULTURE BY HOLDING EACH MP ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS/HER ACTIONS UNDER THE EXISTING OR NEW LAWS. THIS MUST START BY MAKING AN EXAMPLE OF THOSE IN POWER NOW. THEIR CRIMES MUST BE FULLY INVESTIGATED AND PUNISHED TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW. FOR THIS I HAVE ALWAYS SUGGESTED APPOINTING SARATH FORNSEKA TO HEAD A SPECIAL DEPARTMENT OF 500+ SPECIALLY SELECTED PERSONS FROM INLAND REVENUE, CID AND BRIBERY DEPT.
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mechanic / November 27, 2014
Fonny is quiet because he knows common candidate is a dead horse. That’s why he warned My3 of his experience that there will no one with you when the race is lost.
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whywhy / November 29, 2014
Richard
Only SF can do such an investigation because his party
is new and he’s a top military man with discipline.But
people won’t choose him because people too are quite
used to get things done by hook or crook,I mean every
walk of life.The entire public sector is corrupt and
now even the private sector is not exempt.Every single
person is after money,and they are ready to lose
anything for money,to make money,to save money and not
to lose money.They are ready to sell anything for this.
So,it’s going to be a painless operation that should
save everybody and at snail’s speed.Otherwise the whole
country will be in a blood bath!
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thondamannar / November 27, 2014
“Common Opposition Wants CBK To Reduce Her Role In Maithri Movement”
YES. BECAUSE THIS “OLD CROCK’ IS A LIABILITY.
Her SELL by DATE has expired. I do not know much about the Common Opposition, but the Common Opposition appears to be aware that SHE IS A THIEF.
BTW, she appears to wake up early these days & attempting make peace with Buddha by clinging onto SIRA and visiting religious places & participating in religious ceremonies. must be sober too.
She is a just another Wheeler Dealer in for a quick buck at the expense of SL Politics. Available at a price.Those who are funding her will learn about it the hard way.
The sooner she retires to her MANSION in the UK the better…………
Wonder, whether her Mansion in the UK too is a Bandaranaike ancestral property?
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Banda / November 27, 2014
When RanilW was the expected common candidate, I thought MR will win the Presidency with only plus or minus 52%. When My3 emerged as the common candidate, I have increased that margin for I knew My3 is much lower caliber opponent to MR than RanilW.
Except for the stupid everyone knew that My3 will face the bait of his would be backers as he plod in to the quagmire of common policies and declare his programme as Executive President. We’re yet to see those fire works.
This demand by JHU for the bandit queen to step down from her campaign role is just a tip of the iceberg. It shows the ineffectiveness and the weakness of My3. Tissa Attanayaka’s demand to appoint RanilW as EPM not in 100 days but in 24 hours is another. It clearly shows the UNP does not trust trust their common candidate.
Imagine what the country would be like if My3 is the President.
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Taraki / November 27, 2014
Great! Common opposition already quareling among themselves. Imagine the situation if they win. Jokers.
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Javi. / November 27, 2014
They quarrel because there is love in the air.
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sach / November 27, 2014
Common opposition’s main objective is reducing president powers, strengthening democracy. In other words to bring amendments like 17th and 18 and other necessary amendments.
So common opposition should have a strategy of how to do this after election victory.
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Saman / November 27, 2014
A common opposition should carry out a common campaign together to win next Presidential elections and not to seek individual party goals.
JVP could promote their individual Party goals during the Parliamentary elections.
JHU should know what their main priorities and goals of this Presidential elections campaign which are to abolish Executive Presidency,re-introduce roduce 17th Amendment and to get rid of all corruptions.
JHU should refrain expressing their extremist views during the Presidential elections and should help common candidate to win votes from every voter.
Madam CBK is a Moderate leader with political experience and she knows what to say and what to do to win elections.
JHU should help Maithreepala Sirisena if they want to save Sri Lanka from a dictatorial family nepotism oligarch.
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Lanka Watch / November 27, 2014
Need of the hour is unity among the opposition parties and the theme of the election propaganda should be only abolition of the executive Presidency, and eradication of corruption and nepotism. After the EP election , there is plenty of time left for parties to form coalition or individually contest the parliamentary elections and form a govt.
under a Prime Minister and until EP election, the party leaders should
keep their mouths shut on other policy matters and avoid in fighting.
The main task Mr. Srisena is faced with right now is to unite the different factions, trying to pull in different directions and together fight the EP election as one alliance. He should let the
people know that he is in command.
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whywhy / November 28, 2014
Let CBK speak her mind,Ranil his mind,Athuraliye his
mind and Sirisena,Mangala,Sajith their minds.Nobody
should dictate to the common front here.If CBK had a
role to play in the never-expected last minute
episode,let her say what ever she sees fit,after all
she is a former president and the lady who paved the
way for the incumbent to climb the ladder.It’s now
her turn too.She,like her predecessors,stepped down
respectfully leaving an outsider for the first time of
a family dominated party,whatever the situation was at
the time.Win or lose,she could have given the job to
Anura if she behaved the same way as MR.She put party
interest before family.She’s talking to her party and
not to any other party.Ranil and Sajith will lead their
party and other parties on the similar line with one
objective,a common victory for an overhaul of the
system.It is JHU that should be watchful of its every
step.
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Crazyoldmansl / November 30, 2014
I am not sure how many readers of the Colombo Telegraph understand the deep disappointment and sadness of the members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and all those who understand and respect the ideology, political programs and policy positions that it has espoused.
Many had deep misgivings as to the suitability of Mahinda Rajapaksa as a leader when the question of the misappropriation of tsunami aid came to light. However following the end of the war many of these misgivings were forgotten and drowned by the hope that the Sinhala Buddhist people at last had a king-like ruler blessed with a vigorous lineage whose dynasty it was hoped would rule with justice and wisdom.
It did not take very long for these hopes to be dashed which happened as soon as the way the election commissioner was treated before all the world no sooner were presidential elections held and the by playing accomplice to this murder of democracy India our closest neighbor has set herself up for a dose of the same that she is just beginning to feel.
The hoped for righteous, just and wise king has turned into something far less appealing and the hopes for a golden age of Sinhala Buddhist rule have been dashed. This fact has taken almost a decade to sink in and overcome hopes that the man may change and become the sage that all had hoped he would be.
Now there is no room for doubt. The king has declared that should he lose the election he will once again “turn defeat into victory” just as he did with the help of India at his very first presidential election. The financial affairs and conduct of this monarch confirm the misgivings that arose when the tsunami fraud came to light and these misgivings now extend to the question of what happened to the massive amounts of gold that had been stolen from the Tamil people by the LTTE and the mysterious manner in which attempts were made to move illegal ivory from certain African nations into global black markets through Sri Lanka apparently in return for golden favors granted by these nations to the king. These are now matters of common knowledge amongst children and will form parts of folklore that embellish the history of Sri Lanka’s attempted 21st century royal dynasty.
The SLFP is a party in mourning not only because of this ugly financial conduct but also because the concentration of power in one family has prevented other noble families within the party from using political power to improve the lives of the Sinhala Buddhist people who voted them to power. These people have been languishing in neglect for close to a decade and their sorrow and disappointment knows no bounds.
It is this boundless sadness and disappointment that has led the General Secretary of the SLFP himself to come forward with the fullest support of his party to come forward as an alternative SLFP candidate and put right the wrongs that all the world can see. The SLFP has always been a magnanimous and dignified party and its leadership has never hesitated to correct its mistakes. IT is natural therefore that it has invited all right thinking persons from all political persuasions and parties to support it in its task of cleansing the islands polity of the sickness that has arisen and restore the liberal democratic traditions of tolerance, non violence and broad inclusiveness while standing firmly in defense of national sovereignty that it and the peoples right to advance their political aspirations through democratic means that this party has always espoused and advanced.
This is not a triumphal or vindictive or vengeful movement. It is a movement based on contrition and the disappointment and sadness generated by dashed hopes and a deep sense of responsibility that what has been allowed to go wrong due to high but misplaced hopes must now be put right and the nations made whole and healthy once more.
May the noble party of the people succeed in this task and let us all – regardless of our political persuasions and political affiliations – wholeheartedly support the SLFP in this righteous and profoundly Buddhist agenda. May we succeed and may we go on to build a nation where all beings may be happy and live in peace and may the tree of righteousness be planted on this island this Uduvap Poya day
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Mahendra de Alwis / December 1, 2014
$1 Emirates Deal, and a mansion in Europe comes to mind.
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