By Helasingha Bandara –
Dayasiri Jayasekara’s (DJ) victory against all odds has to be looked at from various angles. I am undecided as to go from the worst to the best or the other way around. Yet a comedy ending with ‘they happily lived ever after’ could always be a good choice.
They have still voted
Dayasiri Jayasekara
Despite being disappointed election after election that the elected did not look back to do something for the people who elected them but looked for personal glory and amassing personal wealth, the masses have not learnt that they should avoid the corrupt system of polling. Indeed it was not a free and fair election. On the day of the election it could have been free. Prior to the election it was never fair. The representatives of the UPFA abused state resources including the police and the armed forces, used intimidatory tactics, violence, cunning and all other possible corrupt means to win the elections. People still went to the polling stations although the percentage of voter turnout has dwindled from high 70s to 50s. Whose fault is that? This can happen only in the fools’ paradise.
They have still voted for the UPFA
There is no doubt that this regime is corrupt from top to bottom. When LTTE terrorism was defeated, the entire country felt that it is in the good hands of Rajpakshas that the dream of becoming the greatest nation in South Asia was not distant. Indeed Rajas had the best strengths and opportunity and the absence of threats at the time. Sadly Rajas were neither intelligent nor educated enough to understand the difference that a leader with billions of Dollars in his account but runs a failed state does not earn international acceptance, recognition or respect whereas a penniless leader who runs a successful country does. The country has become completely lawless for the powerless with crime rate sky rocketing, a young woman cannot walk the streets without hearing the whistles and cat calls of unruly men during the day let alone night, the entire wealth of the country is misappropriated between the politicians and their cronies and the police have been made cowards. The list is endless. Still people have elected UPFA. Whose fault is that? This can happen only in the fools’ paradise.
They have still voted for Johann Fernando
Despite the fact that Johnston Fernando was one of the most corrupt politicians in the Island, despite his intimidatory and violent campaign on behalf of his young and inexperienced son, a considerable number of people has voted for Johann. Johnston is corrupting the entire NCP with the alleged introduction of drugs, prostitution and various other nefarious activities of which poor youth of the region fall prey to. Then he uses them to unleash violence against those who oppose them. For example he sent his men and smashed a vehicle that belongs to Jayarathna Herath camp that was engaged in election activities at Nikaweratiya. Then he asked the assailants to smash one of their own houses and lodge a complaint at the Nikeweratiya police against the victims of his violence. That is the likes of this man. He crossed over to the Government at a time that he felt he would be cornered for alleged LTTE connections. To ease his crossover and receive high profile portfolio within the government he gave false evidence against former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka. Despite all that people have not rejected his son. Whose fault is that? This can happen only in the fools’ paradise.
Dayasiri is no criminal
Despite the fact that Dayasiri’s political principles can be questioned he is not reputed for violence. Having heard one of his supporters was assaulted on the 22nd at Nikeweratiya he seems to have said (yoko api dinalath guti kanda oneda?) are we destined to get assaulted even while winning? That shows his humorous personality that has no place for violence. Mervin Silva and the likes, Geetha Kumarasingha and the likes have come to ask people to vote for Johann. Unfortunately there had been no one to ask on what grounds did they ask so. What qualifies those two to ask so? The big wigs of the Government did not side with Dayasiri. But he has won the preferential vote with a huge margin. He has received more than double of what Johann received. At least once the not so foolish people of the paradise have shown Johnston that violence has no place in the Wanniya.
kris / September 23, 2013
Another UNP IDiot just crying
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Sama / September 23, 2013
UNPers are not idiots but those who voted for Dayasiri.
How can people ever be able to keep the faith on this man ? Not even 2 months ago, he was standing for an another party. If the stupid folks would ever be able to realize to respect principles – then this country would become progress. Else so long the very same stupid folks stay in this way can only make the own grave for the entire nation.
Dayasiri´s results can be considered as a good experiment to grasph how our people in general behave. They have proved – no charactor of the candidate is important but they should belong to – the wave.
This is the nature of stupid majority folks of the country. Next time, people like Dayasiri will rally round to shape up their future abusing the very same folk. Result can easily be predicted to any 10 year old today.
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Safa / September 23, 2013
MR realised the value of Dayasiri. Sadly RW did not, cornered and harressed him forcing hime to cross over. The fact that he obtained 300,000 preference votes by running a honest campaign speaks for itself.
What ails the UNP except for RW, where people who cross over can still become CM. I doubt if RW could become CM if he contested at provincial level. He might even lose. Colombo 7 is the only refuge for him.
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srilal / September 23, 2013
you are spot on , RW the double agent must relinquish his responsibilities as the opposition leader and must step down , there is no any other way to stop this humiliating endless defeat , had there been any other credible opposition leader in SL under these terrible conditions , he or she would have performed miracles !
if this shameless loser plans to cling on to his leadership position again , not only UNP supporters , but also every one else must joined and chase this Ra Daniel Daval Migel out of politics for good.
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Sumith / September 23, 2013
what you are saying true.!
But what opposition can do to retain it’s top people when MR have so much power, money, clout to defect opposition to his side.
It is like Sri Lankan and India is going to play a cricket match and SLC get the star player Kohli to play for Sri Lanka team. -:)
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Sama / September 23, 2013
That MR´s tactics. No respect. No dignity. No principles. But to abuse anyone where he sees it possible. That he has been doing for the last 43 years.
But very same MR thought TNA´s canddidate would not even get enough votes from tamil people. There the man´s prediction is miles away. That says how good he has learnt the mentality of the tamil people.
This country will stay rotten under Rajapakshes – that s what we feel looking at these results.
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gamini / September 23, 2013
It appears from the above comments that RW has become the favourite Punch Bag of those who are averse to Ranil Wickremasinghe. They see nothing wrong with the system or the voters themselves to whom it no longer matters Principles in Life, Honesty, Integrity and decency any longer. For that matter although many of us clamour for a society free of Corruption, Nepotism, where all are treated equally and none is above the Law, seem to be of no concern for quite many. The public is willing to put up with any number of Weliweriyas and is willing to tolerate the apathy of Lawlessness that is prevalent today. In such a scenario no amount of blaming RW will help this country to regain what all of us have lost and are subject to further hardship in the future. Let them bring more Lamborghinis and Maseratis duty free for the merriment of the privileged at the High Cost of living to the masses of this Country. They richly deserve it.
These critics of RW do not see the positives of RW. His Honesty, Integrity, Decency as a Gentleman and his Educational standing. Instead they want a Leader someone like MR who will accommodate favourites to include them to receive special benefits over the rest of society, because with RW he will brook no nonsense but will uphold Meritocracy. If the Critics believe it is RW who is the loser, they are sadly mistaken. Besides RW will be there for one more Presidential Election and thereafter it is all yours to Fry the country which way you all want. We will remain as the passive observers.
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shankar / September 24, 2013
“They see nothing wrong with the system or the voters themselves”
Come,come gamini you can’t be going on blaming the voters and the system etc.Then you have to forget about politics and do something else instead of whinging away.Anyway when the UNP was in power for 17 years it was the same voters you had no.Now that the SLFP has been in power for 18 years the voters have become bad voters and the system rotten.
Take stock of the situation and tell ranil to give up the leadership for the good of the party.Have a vote for the leadership of the rank and file of the UNP.Then you will know who the UNP members want as their leader.If they elect ranil,so be it and let him continue with dignity and legitimacy.Now he has neither.Make the UNP a truly democratic party and dismantle the dictatorship culture that JRJ brought into it and his nephew now is trying to continue.Adapt to the environment or die.
My advice is for your own good mate.I don’t like to see the grand old party wither and die away.My dad was always a UNP voter and got his reward when his house was burnt and looted.The UNP organiser of the area who was a close family friend kept him in his house and protected him,and not only that went around saving so many tamils and transporting them to camps,frantically trying to clean up the shit that JRJ has put.Some army fellows tried to even shoot him for that.I loved that man and that is why i feel so sad that his party has come to this level.
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Don / September 27, 2013
Shankar,
such criminals are found in any party or not ? But what matters is today, we have got almost only high criminals ( see, Duminda Silva, Mervin Silva, Keheliya, even GLP in some areas, from cabinet ministers to pradesheeya Saba candidates – almost every one is higly corrupted). That makes it worse right at the moment, but Maha gonthadiya seems to be blind and deaf. Just because he feels that his political future would be affected, he seems to be not take any actions against any kind of high crimes that have been carried out by Mervin and other men in his coalition. Is this not that Majaraja has come to a point that ONE feels NO GO.
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Don / September 27, 2013
Right at the moment, many among the educated masses would feel that the rulers are the most abusive and corrupted in the entire political history of the country. Stupid people are abused by their unique rhetorics. But rhetorics are just to abuse poor masses again again. Road constructions and other projects are currently seen many other poor states in the world. Taking them as examples to measure ruler^s GOOD NATURE is totally wrong. If one would closely study how much of the funds have gone to their hands by so called giant projects, people of the country would get it correctly. With those huge sums they can still maintain to go for price reductions at least in most essential daily needs (a Loaf of bread, a kg of rice, sugar, vegetables, fruits, packeted milk etc). Nobody from outside world ever get why the govt want to go on increasing prices of daily needs while the country^s civil war is officially ended ALREADY 4 years ago). Latter gives us all a summary of their abusive governance. Majaraja must pay his uttermost attention towards this than to anything else. I cant get it how poor people could manage to run their families these days in SL, while even middle class ones have been on a strugle.
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Don Quixote / September 23, 2013
Not a criminal just a pot hunting , non principled individual with no morals or a sense of honor !
Ideal politician for the Debacle of Asia.
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dharma / September 23, 2013
He is most unwanted politician in srilanka.. he is atooges who? will talk about him.
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Max Silva / September 23, 2013
Where is Haren Fernando?Most probably in the UNP laundry!
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Percy Jilmart / September 23, 2013
You should have named your article as “Fool’s Paradise minus the North, Kandy, Colombo and a few other places.”
Dayashitty may not be a criminal (yet) but in time he will become one. There is Sinhala pithy saying which goes, “If you sleep with dogs, you wake up with ticks.”
A vast majority of the Sinhala jackasses have been sleeping and voting for jackals for so long that being completely covered in ticks does not bother them anymore. This country is not called a pariah state for nothing.
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Palayang yako! / September 23, 2013
What a sad situation for Sri Lanka when someone as incompetent and unprincipled as Dayasiri ends up winning the largest number of votes by far in the NWP.
Says something about Sri Lankans in general and the voters of the NWP in particular, no?
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Amara / September 23, 2013
Don’t judge him so fast, he never been a minister, this is his start, if done well, will suite for presidency, otherwise nothing.
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Dharmasena Navaratne from London / September 23, 2013
I would attribute Dayasiri3s victory not to Party affliations but to his vibrant and charismatic personalityHe belongs to an honourable profession and dynamic and vibrant. So, no one should try to throw mud at him simply because of his decision to leave the U.N.P.
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Thondamanaru / September 23, 2013
MR will have to think deep about Dayasiri as he got him wrong and under estimated him. Dayasiri proved put MR to shame.
Unlike other UNP Parlimentarians, who crossedover from the opposition benches to the GOVT and walk into Ministerial posts, DAYASIRI(DJ) HAD EVERYTHING TO LOOSE & THE ODDS STACKED AGAINST HIM.
He resigned from his Parlimentary seat and a became a nobody. He returned to his roots to commence from scrap. He had faith in himself.
He had to compete against Johan F’do who was backed by his Ministerial father who too had crossed over to the Govt from within the parliament. Also with MR & Namal aligning towards Johan & also with the backing of many Govt politicians including that Kukku Man Silva who is after Geeths’s kukku.
It is creditable in that, his campaign was sans violence and moreover his preferential vote numbers speaks volumes.
DJ IS A MAN TO BE ADMIRED… Jayawickreme Perera, another popular UNP’er must be kicking his heels the scourge of RW and of the success of his onetime colleague.
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Siman / September 23, 2013
As a politician, Johan at least gave meals, cell phones and saris to voters. From today, he will stop his Dansalas. What Dayasiri gave? Nothing. He gave baila. From, he will also vanish with Johan. I think people ate from Johan’s Dandala and listened to Dayasiri’s baila. Obviously, there no differance between Johan and Dayasiri. Both expect to exploit our wealth.
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Lapatiya / September 23, 2013
“He Is No Criminal”
Join the Criminals.
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Alan / September 23, 2013
Safa ,
Racism will never win……Good example this for all the Sri Lankans. Since i have from the same close hometown of Dayasiri almost all the people vote for him even many UNP candidates voted for him. Even Mostly majority muslims vote he was able to secure as well.
This is the play of Rajapaksa……he knows where to play in political way. Ranil is a dump, even JVP lost the vote in NWP because of Dayasiri. Please note second highest preference vote candidate is son of Johnston, and Johnston was also former UNP MP. So all the UNP votes tern to PA.
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Sama / September 23, 2013
For me he and the like people are high criminals
for following reasons.
They just misguide the poor people ´s hopes about a better future.
They abuse them for getting elected for their jobs, meaning nothing else than cold heartedly abusing poor peoples faiths.
How can a man once be totally against the rulers and now become top supporters to them if the man is NOT lost his memories by any accidental incidents. Are these kind of politicians giving an exemplary message to youth in the country ?
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Dusta Gamini / September 23, 2013
It is neither people of this country nor Dayasiri should be responsible for the political anarchy in Sri Lanka.The one and only culprit is Mr.Ranil Wickramasinghe and his henchmen (Wedaberi Tarsons) who put country in this situation. Ranil and his clan never give a chance to talented youth in UNP instead they use the party as their mothers wealth that they can do whatever they wish. As a result we don’t have a strong opposition, never will be under Ranils leadership. So that Mahinda would be the dictatorial freaky as long as Ranil is in opposition leadership. Because Mahinda knows that no one can challenge him or his brotherhood under scattered opposition under Ranil and his “P” Boys.This is the destiny of Sri Lankans under thes lunatic politics but there is a hope of light in the dark corner that is by General Fonseka led “Democratic Party”, lets hope for the best out of him and his party members.
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Ninja / September 23, 2013
Johnston Fernando stole from us ,and then he printed posters for his son with our money, he bought cell phones with our money and gave it to us to ask us to vote for his son. I took the cell phone,I did not take the liquor and I never voted for them. I am a medical student not for nothing but, fools voted for them.
Good or bad right or wrong. Dayasirij joined a man who kills other people’s children and robs us silly. So where are his principles. Ranil is man A hole but, if you are smart you could find a way.
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Dusta Gamini / September 23, 2013
Who made Jonny to stole peoples money? That is nothing but the RW who has given him chance to go to parliament from Kurunagala (and many other wicked characters like Dr.Dutugamunu, Kudu Dumiya brought up to this level by RW, without any shame still having very close links with these social cancers)and having strong links with LTTE? What Ranil DID? absolute nothing.What Sri Lankans expect from a leader of this caliber? If RW behave in this manner without any power just to hold opposition leadership, what would happens if he become the president? Definitely there will be Thousands of BATALANDAs island wide. Instead put him in jail MR use him to give false evidences against SF and given him leading ministerial portfolio and let him flourish with his dirty businesses.MR is a Political Wolf. But What is RW? As we heard he is a “P”. Thats why he hates straights like Dayasiri.
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Siriyalatha / September 23, 2013
Are u mad to leave this kind of comments ?
What is the difference between your ilk and the gulliable masses in the country ?
Voting for Rajapakshes means – supporting high crimes
Wait and see until the UNHRC brings its latest reports about your beloved LEADER´s regime, and CHOGM summit and its aftermath.
Dayasiri has to lick the asses of many in fulfilling his manifestos in the coming days. It will not be easy for a person like him to do the job.
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roshan perera / September 23, 2013
mr dusta gamini. wat makes u think that dayashitty is straight.try asking people who knew him from G L Peiris”s days. i am sure they will be able to enlighten you.and the next thing you will know is that rosy too has followed dayashitty. good luck to this whole bunch of losers.
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janefonda / September 23, 2013
Whatever anyone may say it is obvious that these men are given an opportunity under Mahinda Rajapakse to do well. Under that miserable ranil wickramasinghe the furthest that dayasiri could have gone is perhaps a deputy minister to a old college boy like Marapone or Malik Samarawickrama. If you look at it in an unbiased way sri lanakn people get a chance to move forward under Mahinda. Under Ranil it is still feudal attitude. No point talking ethics , etc because ranil ‘s unp also cannot afford to talk about it. Ranil must be the most shameless man in the world . when the voters keep rejecting him he stays put. The UNP working committee is a joke not a serious committee.
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kali / September 27, 2013
Hello Jane,
I looked at this piece of news and my initial gut reaction was not to comment as this is purely a Sinhlese issue and I dont have a mandate to comment and it doesnt concern me.
But my only advise to you is hunny dont get into dirty politicts of Sri Lanka. You are 75 years of age and before you know it you will be dragged in to the mud and they will be up to a lot of misdemeanous.You are a respectable golden oldie.
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Voice of Justise / September 23, 2013
There is no doubt Dayasiri crossed over for his personal political cum financial benefits.
But the election results gives the following messages;
1.Majority of SLFP supporters who have voted him as they dissatisfied with the ruling party and who are really looking for alternatives as they consider that the UNP cannot be a alternative.
2.The UNP supporters who have lost confidence with Ranil’s leadership also voted for him.MARA cannot claim that his was a victory for his policy
3.Crossing over is a total political corruption. Dayasiri has became MARA’s supporter overnight by crossing over.One website quoted that he was even given money for the cross over but not confirmed.
But people who have voted for him will not get anything worthwhile as in the case of other elected politicians.
We have to wait and see the whether the Northern PC will be an example for “people’s service”I don’t think that they can be bought over by MARA.
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gamini / September 25, 2013
How many missing Ballot Bags would have been introduced to make Dayasiri to come first?
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Don / September 27, 2013
Yes, that is for sure a jilmart. Nobody has space to reveal them because they are on hunting any journalist that would bring such articles.
This has been a joke for anyone who has got dissident views. They accuse people of being that stupid. But here, people are on the side of dissidents, while rulers and their all kind of abusive tactics bring their candidates as real winners. Hidden reality is totally far from understanding :(
Any neutral opinion poll can prove the truth easily. But the opinion polls should be from all forms of people in the country.
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Nihal / September 26, 2013
Great win, Congrats Dayasiri….the highest preference vote ever in the history of Sri Lanka, with all odds and No support from Govt ranks except a few…Dayasiri has an outstanding Charisma & a vibrant personality which very few politicians had in Sri Lanka, you could compare him to be another Vijaya Kumaratunga…he has to act intelligently and not lose is head…he could be one day be Sri lanka’s Leader, he has all qualifications for this, he is a crowd puller and I would think he can contest in any seat anywhere in SL and win…..very few are born with these strengths
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ROY SILVA / September 27, 2013
PLEASE BE AWARE STILL OUR RAJA HORAS CRIMINAL GANG IS OUT THERE ANY MOMENT THEY MIGHT BUMP YOU OFF.
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