Senior SLFP-er Nimal Siripala de Silva was appointed as the Opposition Leader today after Mahinda Rajapksa decided to step down as the president of the SLFP, thereby avoiding the dilemma that had emerged due to existence of two Presidents in the SLFP.
Although it intially seemed as though he would not quit without a fight, former President Rajapaksa stepped down from his position today, peacefully. Announcing his decision through a statement, MR had stated that he decided to step down from the position in order to prevent the party from splitting up.
Accordingly, new appointments were made to the parliamentary structure as well including the appointments former Minister WDJ Senevirathne as the Chief Opposition Whip, Minister Lakshman Kiriella as the Leader of the House and Interim Government Minister Gayantha Karunathilake as the Chief Government Whip.
Earlier this week, SLFP MPs divided into two groups and one group expressed their support to MR remaining the party President while the other appointed President Sirisena as the party President.
Newton / January 16, 2015
He is the master of all four tactics of politics (sama, bheda, dana ,danda). This retreat is nothing but the mixture of first three . if he become successful this time he will become the executive president in april and People will see the fourth one in wholesale afterwards
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Dom / January 16, 2015
Once he steps down as Party member, he can no longer become MP after the 19th amendment is passed through Parliament.
In the 19th amendment, He has to contest for MP post to become MP and Member of Party.
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srilal / January 16, 2015
“In the 19th amendment, He has to contest for MP post to become MP and Member of Party. “
That is nothing for any of the Rajapakse siblings , SL is full of grass eating two legged buffaloes , there must be a mechanism to stop criminals entering the parliament , period !
PS: in UK , if you have a criminal record , you are barred from virtually every thing .
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Ram / January 17, 2015
I suggest you take a look at the House of Lords.
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Carlton / January 16, 2015
[Edited out] MR forced to go home.It is not that he did it for altruistic reasons.
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Sven Perera / January 16, 2015
Nothing remained on his side to defend himself – so why not to end it peacefully. The newly built ministers where they have already touched are filled with high abuses. So almost anyone and everyone should be convicted. What had MR as the leader of the nation been doing – just show off openings to further twist the poor man s mindsets WHILE keeping them far away from ground realities of the country. Similar to an indian film that the poor of the poor could go to ectase just only by watching them – Rajaapkshe programme items had been carried out KNOWING that the day of downfall is sure of him.
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Native Vedda / January 17, 2015
“if he become successful this time he will become the executive president in april and People will see the fourth one in wholesale afterwards”
It is said that if you’ve got them by the b***s, their hearts and minds will follow.
The question is who has got MR and clan by their b***s?
“sama, bheda, dana ,danda”
Could you cite your source.
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Native Vedda / January 17, 2015
Newton
“if he become successful this time he will become the executive president in april and People will see the fourth one in wholesale afterwards”
It is said that if you’ve got them by the b***s, their hearts and minds will follow.
The question is who has got MR and clan by their b***s?
“sama, bheda, dana ,danda”
Could you cite your source.
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Newton / January 17, 2015
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Native Vedda / January 17, 2015
Newton
Brilliant comment. Keep up your good work.
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Park / January 16, 2015
GROBR! Thank God.
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spartacus / January 16, 2015
Long live kautilian advice
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Ben Hurling / January 16, 2015
Former dictator’s sudden retreat should be viewed with utmost suspicion. I have no doubt his sudden “Gentleman” like behaviour is tactical. They are plotting to lay low until time is right.
Do not forget this country has millions of idiots, who love that guy. For reasons only known to them. They can be galvanized at anytime. Using ethno-religious hysteria, if required by Rajapassa. He will play that card wihtout any hesitation, when things go wrong with the new GOSL. And they will.
Cheers!
PS: Hope King of backroom deal-making & horse-trading RW is not caving into polite requests he cannot refuse from the Rajapassa clan. Investigations into massive misdeeds of Rajapassa era must start at once. Nobody has a mandate to kick them under the carpet.
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Robert.R / January 16, 2015
If Chandrika after robbing the nation as well can make a comeback (lying low in UK), why not MARA ?
You talk of millions of people loving him. They are idiots because they love him but you are wise because you love My3?
Is that the new measure of IQ ?
If he is duly elected as MP I don’t see why not.
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srilal / January 16, 2015
No , MR must,should not be allowed to enter parliament ever again under any circumstances , he has done enough damage to the whole Sri lankan social fabric , enough is enough !
If MY3 & Ranil are wise enough , they must introduce a new legislation which stops the criminals entering the parliament , in other words candidates who have criminal records must be bared from contesting any election .
MR is accused for an alleged military coup , if it is proven , he and his core conspirators must face the jail term , only problem is , both MY3 and Ranil are not aggressive politicians , especially Rw , he always have a soft corner for Rajapakses , hence he will initiate to pardon all the wrong doers ,even if they found guilty !
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Robert.R / January 17, 2015
What about Chandrika? Is she edible to contest again even after her misrule of 11 years?
Should not the law apply equally?
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Snowden Edward Asange / January 17, 2015
EDIBLE OR LEGIBLE? Edible means eatable…
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srilal / January 17, 2015
Robert .R
If Chandrika is charged and has a criminal record , she too can’t enter parliament , law should apply equally to every one !
I think CBK has been charged and fined , but not sure that crime is a criminal offence .
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whywhy / January 17, 2015
Srilal
Building materials already ordered for a safety
wall against Rajapaksha future dreams.JVP is
busy planning the wall and it’s just a matter of
couple of more weeks’ wait.Next general election
is not headed by MARA gangs.My3,Ranil and even
Nimal Siripala will be looking to new respectable
characters as legislators.Of course the basket will
have few more rotten eggs thanks to the system
and until such time that people do understand the
value of their votes.These are all slow process.
But the major outcome of the My3 win is,the
progressive decay of all institutes now stopped.
We are now talking about a real change and that
needs real patience because it is a slow and long
process.And also we need to allow enough time for
the 5.7 million stupid voters to rethink why they
wanted a racist,nervous,corrupt and a family
oriented man to come back.I believe that My3 and
RW know very well that good governance is not all
about being kind and soft.
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srilal / January 17, 2015
WhyWhy ,
i urged you to watch today’s (17/01/15) Sirasa “Satana” program , i was stunned by JVP Wasantha S. revelations , according to him MR’s close relative Thiru Nadesan had driven RW to the Temple trees on the that fateful morning (9/1/15) , question is why Thiru Nadesan brokering RW’s negotiations with MR ? what were the deals or preconditions that MR had with RW ? is that the reason so many wanted guys behaving as nothing has happened ? is that the reason many fugitives are allowed to flee the country ? why can’t they suspend the current Bribery commissioner and appoint an interim commissioner to expedite the process ? it looks like MY3 had left RW to run the show and RW is calling the shots , the whole thing is getting very messy and suspicious , thank God JVP is vigilant !
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whywhy / January 18, 2015
Srilal
Thank you for your link.I’m in full appreciation of
JVP share in the developments of post election rats
catching.JVP doing its best before and after election
with a clean intention must be rewarded in the
general election.My3 passed the ball to RW and he let
his team and the JVP snatch it from him and the play
is now on,among them.In the circle of shrewd politics,
MARA is the most outcast,believe me.He went to
Thiruppathi along with Nadesan.Threre might be some
good reason with RW agreeing the company of Nadesan
to drive him to Temple trees.Businessmen,the world
over,inevitable in politics.None other than Anura
K Dissanayake said in Balaya program on the 15 or 13
Jan,this week that they are being helped by small
businesses.What’s wrong is letting the financiers
manipulate politicians for personal benefits,
engaging in big time deals.Let’s hope things change
for better this time.
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Manoj / January 17, 2015
How about a person who’s charged with foreign exchange fraud to the tune of US$ 3 million becoming the Finance Minister in the Yahapalana government. Don’t get me wrong, I voted for Maithree; it was a vote for a change, but, I didn’t have lot of optimism. They are already proving me right. sigh!
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srilal / January 17, 2015
Manoj ,
I also share your sentiments , things are not looking very good at the moment !
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Sven Perera / January 16, 2015
Nothing remained on his side to defend himself – so why not to end it peacefully. The newly built ministers where they have already touched are filled with high abuses. So almost anyone and everyone should be convicted. What had MR as the leader of the nation been doing – just show off openings to further twist the poor man s mindsets WHILE keeping them far away from ground realities of the country. Similar to an indian film that the poor of the poor could go to ectase just only by watching them – Rajaapkshe programme items had been carried out KNOWING that the day of downfall is sure of him.
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Poorton / January 16, 2015
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Native Vedda / January 17, 2015
Ben Hurling
You got to be grateful to him for eliminating LTTE terrorism forever. How can you be so ungrateful to him? He won the Demelas and flew his lion flag over many dead bodies.
Its very rude to insult him.
By the way where is Gota? Is he still wagging his finger?
Is he planning a Guerrilla warfare against the state, may be garnished with a dollop of terrorism.
Pottu Amman’s boys may be useful, particularly those who worked for Gota after the war.
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sanga / January 16, 2015
hmmmm…. what is he up to ?????
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Mahela / January 16, 2015
hmmmm… look after your other half. He might be eyeing!!!!!
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Jaysuriya / January 16, 2015
Maiyyo, what about your other half? Namal might want some !!!
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Plato. / January 16, 2015
Sanga.
Hmm…Hmm.What is he upto?
Simple.One step behind and two steps forward.
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mara siraa / January 16, 2015
MaRa is maru siraa. He will go out from the front door and come from the back door. Watch this power hungry [Edited out]
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Peace Lover / January 16, 2015
@Ben,your thoughts are same as mine
btw,i heard weeping when i went out today and i felt it must be K A Sumansekera sobbing away due to MR’s loss
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Rajash / January 16, 2015
he must have consulted his astrologer, perhaps its an auspicious day to step down.
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Ambedkhar Reborn / January 16, 2015
I sincerely hope that MR has decided to follow Emperor Asoka ‘s path the latter took after the Kalinga war. Emperor Asoka ‘ s children Mahinda and Sangamitha followed Ahimsa and spread the teaching of Buddha.
Pope Francis’ s recent visit to SL and his messages must have had an impact on MR to change for the better and stepped down from the SLFP chairmanship.
Hope and pray MR does not have a hidden agenda to come back with vengeance for the detriment of mother Lanka and ALL HER CHILDREN.
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Sanath / January 16, 2015
Maithree is a wise man. He loves the enemies. He deserves to change Sri Lanka to right path without losing single drop of blood.
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srinath.gunaratne / January 16, 2015
You are a great leader our country have, We may have to call you back!
Sp please stick around.
We need a strong leadership to the country.
How come the national government does not have any SLFP ministers?
There are decent politicians who could be called into take over some portfolios?
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Samson Jayaratne / January 17, 2015
Man, WERE YOU BORN YESTERDAY? they rejected the positions as JVP did.
What have you been bubbling man ? MR had been a good leader but now he needs some kind of therapies to become normal. Else, nobody has any idea why the man went that inactive knowing the ground realities about the high abuses being carried out by his govt. Instead of do the due, he just covered them all. Today, he is pants down – coming days, he will have to behave as if he is naked.
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sun / January 17, 2015
I just want to tell you something from European soils.
In Germany, there have been powerful soccer trainers. They made MIillions of euro a year. But among them there were fewe that got sick, that got isolated being high abusive…. so they could not carry on their trainership with respective leagues. So is the current situation before Mahinda Rajapakshe.
He was a great man in 2005. But with the time, may be the Rajathuma titles and all devious agendas of his ministers put him down to the manner he cant utter single word to defend him today. As few commentators reveal it today, everyhting will have to be investigated in the near future and – perhaps, MR has to loose even his CIVIC rights.
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Lankan / January 17, 2015
Strong? Don’t be so weak and stupid! You want
the country to be screwed all over again?!
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Roy / January 16, 2015
MARA
is NOW HAVING A WHITE VAN SALE.going cheap .
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Native Vedda / January 17, 2015
Roy
“is NOW HAVING A WHITE VAN SALE.going cheap .”
Soon white flag prices are going to shoot up.
Where is Gota?
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Truth / January 17, 2015
He never had a chance to go in the white van, even though he has given white van rides to other people!! It is time that he should be given a chance to get a white van ride!!
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bo / January 17, 2015
He is 70. And this bugger has fleeced the country and china to thye tune of several billions of pounds, enough to live in retirement in some cubby hole for the rest of his life. I hope that wherever he goes the nation there will reject him as he is a robber. He might get away from not getting prosecuted in SLK but somewhere else, I hope that he would be forced to reveal how he accumulated the immense weaalth.
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Don Quixote / January 17, 2015
The Sinhala grammar of the first sentence is wrong !
Starts by using the ‘royal” WE and ends in the singular.
Is it a reflection of his level of education….. was president of our country for how many years ??
We must stop morons like this ruling our Country…at all cost !
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Das / January 17, 2015
I remember when W.Dahanayaka lost the power, he took a bus back to Galle and got down had a tea and bun at a boutique and went home.MR requested full security to go back home.what a contrast?pl.imagine how unpopular you are.you cannot even go back to your hone town peacefully.THIS IS KARMA. don’t worry more to follow,
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Ranjan / January 17, 2015
“You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain”- Harvey Dent
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Sena / January 17, 2015
The 100 day program should include picking these guys up for their illegal activities and bringing them into courts . It should be priority 1.
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whywhy / January 17, 2015
The world praised him for the smooth hand over of power.
Because the world expected him to behave bad after loss.
And he reportedly did try to behave bad and an
investigation has already been initiated on it.After
losing the hot seat,everything else attached to it falls
one by one.Why CT calls it a “peaceful step down?” If he
refused,he will be stripped of the job,simple.
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Worry / January 18, 2015
Mr. President MS
I wish you all the best for good leadership to this country and approaching good governance under your presidency. That said, I don’t want to you articulate you about Lord Buddha’s discourse on good governance. You do know them millions time better than me and you outlined them million times in your speeches recently. Speaking is easy, but practicing is most important. So, do the right things on half of our country and people who deserve the respect, dignity, peace, and harmony. If you believe that you are a true Buddhist, then you should know this very clearly and bold that there is no one is above the law. Then practice this rule of good governance and bring all culprits to law and order regardless of ethnic, political status, color, religions, race and gender. Tell Mahinda and his cronies (LAP TOP BAGGERS) to FUCK OFF and teach these lessons of LAW IS EQUAL TO EVERYONE.
I wanted to tell one thing to my President Mr. Sirisena, Sir, RESPECT is not for sale. You need to EARN it. To earn that respect, it takes very very long time. But you can lose the hardly earned respect in seconds. Look Mahinda now!! He is bagging you to take care of him from corruption. Not only Colombo Telegraph writers, most of the other news from Sri Lankan media is telling that all Rajapaksas are totally corrupted sons of multiple bitches and fucked up and they should be punished that include UGC, university goons, other educational institution like Sri Lanka Institute Foundation, Open University etc. According to third class laptop beggars and pathetic new writers, if Rajapaksa(s) did some things good and earned some respects from this country and people, why in the world, the most powerful development minister Basil fucking Rajapaksa in California? And the utmost powerful defense lunatic secretary another Gota bullshit Rajapaksa in Maldives? Did you see this? The rule of nature is same to everyone and it is same to you and Prime Minister WR as well. When Tsunami hit our country, it did not choose and hit based upon your caste, religion, color, gender, and age. Instead it gave a good lesson to everyone “one good lesson” that learn from Mother Nature. Thus, you never know what / when / how / where in the world you will face corruption charges or leadership challenges or trying to protect your hard earned respects in your presidency or post presidency like Mahinda. Thus, do the right things to the country and leave some remarkable good thing where for many to tell our future generation that we had a President name Mr. Mithripala Sirisena from Polonnaruwa (the place that teaches us history, kings, architecture religions, good governance, civilization, agriculture etc). What a great gentleman who came from the grass root family and led my country into today’s achievement (in 2030) that we are proudly call Asia’s New Leader of Knowledge, History, Peace, Good Governance, Leadership, and the Pearl in the Indian Ocean where many international are willing to visit without any fear and kidnaps and explore. Do you understand Mr. President what I am saying here? Do something and leave something for generation to remember in positive manner, not like Rajapaksa. Try something at least close to leave like Gandhi, Mandela, Mother Theresa, and Martin Luther King. I am attaching a document for you look. Please visit to this link and see how many American politicians have been convicted by law for corruptions and lived or living jails. Of course USA has so many problems, but for some extent they are practicing the rule of law. Show me what you can do for good governance. The poor people of my country voted for change thus do the right thing. Do not protect the culprits.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_state_and_local_politicians_convicted_of_crimes
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Lasanda / January 19, 2015
President Rajapaksa is correct. The patriotic srilankans are with him!!!!!
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RASIKA / January 19, 2015
RAJA PARAYA ROB ,DESTROY, VANDALIZE, AND WRECK OUR COUNTRY IN TO PIECES.
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