UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who is now embroiled in a bitter struggle to retain his position with the party, derided SLFP Leader and former Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike for refusing to quit her party leadership despite losing successive elections.
Ranil
Speaking in Parliament in 1992, Wickremesinghe said the most important thing about the Westminster system is that when a leader loses, that leader should step down and a new leader should take over.
Given the UNP’s crisis following a series of election defeats since 1994 Wickremesinghe’s words seem prophetic. It is often said that the Wickremesinghe-led opposition is the best thing the Rajapaksa Government can ask for.
“Hon Deputy Speaker, we cannot wish for a better Opposition than the Opposition there is now. This is the best Opposition we can have. We like you, we want you to stay in this place. You cannot face up to the fact that the people do not want you and that you have been thrown into the dustbin,” Wickremesinghe further said. “I will tell you that at the next elections you will lose, the elections after that you will lose and the election after that”. He continued: “You all cannot win. You want people from other parties.”
The following excerpts from his speech are from Hansard, columns 1045-1046.
“The Government has not run away. We have said here is the forum, go to the forum and prove the case. The opportunity is available….. But you are sorry because what you all (sic) what is some mud to throw because you cannot win the election. How can you win the election? You are talking of the Westminster system. The first thing is that when a leader loses the election, that leader should step down and a new leader should take over. Without doing that do not go and blame this on black cats, white cats and other cats, tigers and the JVP. Firstly your leader has not resigned. In this period look at the (British) Labour Party. Mr Callaghan resigned. Mr Michael Foot resigned; Mr Neil Kinnock resigned. What has happened to the SLFP? That is the First, you must face the situation. Have a new leadership. Have a new set of policies. Then if you are beaten you can go into the matter. Hon Deputy Speaker, we cannot wish for a better Opposition than the Opposition there is now. This is the Best Opposition we can have. We like you, we want you to stay in this place. You cannot face up to the fact that the people do not want you and that you have been thrown into the dustbin.”
Kalu Nangi / October 29, 2013
Ha…ha…this is what you call “Investigative Journalism”. Give the highest award to the person who found this gem!
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John / October 30, 2013
Ranil was never a leader as such, he was bluest of blue eyed boy of JRJ govt. so much so at 34 years of age he became the youngest Minister of Education & many portfolios before & after, ended up becoming “leader of house” in Premadasa presidency , after Gamini/Lalith had left.
But is there anything that RW did to remember ?? as a Minister or PM ?
Premdasa with all those Housing schemes from 1967 on-words as a deputy minister & after 1978 as PM as well, Lalith had Mahapola Scholarship running even todate for tens of thousands of University students & Gamini did Mahaveli project.
RW had many nightmares when Gamini came back in 1993 & UNP’ers made Gamini opposition Leader & presidential candidate , ignoring former PM RW, & made RW most frustrated & angry.
After the death of Premadasa, Lalith & Gamini , RW was made the leader , since there was’t any body.
So has he been taking revenge from all the UNP’ers & keeping them in opposition for ever ???
Isn’t it time that UNP’ers understood RW revenge & kick him out or remain in opposition for another 20 years ???
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Sumith / October 30, 2013
Somebody here mentioned that we all go to polling booth and vote for MR.
Then check the election results and blame Ranil. -:)
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Bedrock Barney / October 29, 2013
The only constant is the changeability of our political leadership. Mahinda used to staunch human right defender and an opponent of casinos. Ranil has transformed himself from a conservative yet forward looking leader to an autocrat within his party.
It is sad to see Ranil slowly turning himself into the most despised political leader and will be remembered as someone who as opposition leader refused to oppose the government on anything. Don’t know how he shows up at IDU meetings and keeps a straight face.
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Taraki / October 29, 2013
Surely you don’t expect him to follow his own principles? He’s a Sri Lankan politician.
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Battichcha / October 29, 2013
Ranil is looking for a educated (NOT A FAKE) experienced person with a law degree to handover the leadership of the UNP.
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Battichcha / October 29, 2013
I THINK DAYAN JAYATILAKE SHOULD BE THE LEADER OF THE UNP.
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Muslim / October 30, 2013
How about Azath Sally?
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Amarasiri / October 30, 2013
Ranil W, The UNP Fossil
“UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who is now embroiled in a bitter struggle to retain his position with the party, derided SLFP Leader and former Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike for refusing to quit her party leadership despite losing successive elections.”
So, the fossil, RW, wants to wait it out until MR self-destructs.
The RW, fossil strategy.
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Douglas / October 30, 2013
Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse will “NOT ACCEPT” his resignation, because Ranil Wickramasinghe is so much loved and “cared for” by him.
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mike / October 30, 2013
It is a question of Hitlerpaksha telling Ranilpaksha what to do!
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justice / October 30, 2013
In politics,leaders often conveniantly forget their promises before they became heads of government,if such promises if fulfilled,will undermine their own leadership.
Above is cited one example – of Ranil’s promise/direction/interpretation and how he has now forgotten it.
But,much more important was the promise by Mahinda Rajapakse to abolish the ezecutive presidency – which he even gave in writing to the JVP.
He forgot his promise soon after election as an executive president,and enticed 17 UNPers to his side,built a 2/3 majority – rest is history.
Can Ranil get these deserters back? That will be the day.
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Leel Fernando / October 30, 2013
Suffering from loss of memory. .Disgrace to the Alma Mater and the Westminster Principles he talks of .Send him and his able ADC from Kotte the high jumper permanently to learn the Principles he talks of
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kris / October 30, 2013
RW time is long overdue
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Safa / October 30, 2013
Pathetic, how a man can become such a degenerate. Sadly he will be pulled by his ear and thrown out, but not before he destroys the party. He seems to be suffering from some kind of mental illness.
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Max Silva / October 30, 2013
Ranil did his best to pamper the Tamil terrorists during the phony CFA.Allowed the terrorists to freely roam throughout the island.Gave the terrorists weapons and hi tech satellite communication equipment.Got the Srilanka airforce to transport terrorists.Provided air tickets for the terrorists to go on joy rides ostensibly to study federalism.It’s high time that these defeated Tamil terrorists consider pay back time and try to save Ranil.Of course what can we expect from a bunch of ungratefuls?Rajiv Ghandi did so much for these Tamil terrorists.And as gratitude murdered Rajiv.A lesson for everyone,including foreigners who are trying to help these defeated Tamil terrorists.Never trust these ungrateful defeated Tamil terrorists who are masquerading as HR activists.A bunch of shameless jerks!
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JayGee / October 30, 2013
Doesn’t apply to Ranil, He is the heir to the UNP throne!
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watey ranil / October 30, 2013
Ranil’s inner voices have told him he is the best bet to win 2014.
The difference now is that except for two in his “inner circle” all others agree he can’t win,they are thinking UNP first,person second.
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Yoosuf / October 30, 2013
What a turn of event. whoever had the fortune to lookout this piece from the old Hansard is a valueable contributor towards better tommorow for the country. He deserves a commendation and honour.
But the sad event is whom to lookfor NOW. Available propects are very very gloomy. May be RW created the situation so that there will be no better one other than him.
If there a situ to move for alternate leadership now, UNP will lose even worse. That is what MR and goons engineering the opposition in to.
But it would be sooner than later.
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Nano Tina / October 30, 2013
Ranil Wickramasinghe to Ms. Sirima Bandaranayake, in Parliament in 1992:
“The first thing is that when a leader loses the election, that leader should step down and a new leader should take over. Without doing that do not go and blame this on black cats, white cats and other cats, tigers and the JVP. Firstly your leader has not resigned. In this period look at the (British) Labour Party. Mr Callaghan resigned. Mr Michael Foot resigned; Mr Neil Kinnock resigned. What has happened to the SLFP? That is the First, you must face the situation. Have a new leadership”
Well said Ranil…. the FIRST thing after loosing, the leader should step down, Now, at least after the TWENTY FIFTH time can you please do that.. ..
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Banda / October 30, 2013
That’s not what LeN says. LeN and its backer/sponsor Man-gala says that those who want to remove Ranil from the leadership of UNP are the thugs and goons on a government contract. Neither Len nor Mangala talk even a word about 2×2 kurudu polu that were used to attack the ‘goons’ at anti-Ranil procession. According to LeN, the responsibility for UNP loosing election after election under Ranil lay on the stupidity of Sajith and Karu fraction. Long live the Ranil man-gala duo.
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Saman Wijesiri / October 30, 2013
Let us hope that the bhikkhus will teach Ranil a good lesson this time round. Katu has no backbone and Sajith has no strategy.We cannot expect a positive outcome from the tripartite talks.
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Don Stanley / October 30, 2013
Ranil Wickramasinghe is a shameless MORON who will go down as the worst politician ever in Sri Lanka. To a great extent it is Ranil who is responsible for the Commonwealth Circus happening to boost the Rajapassa dictatorship in November in Lanka. Ranil loves running behind useless, irrelevant and obsolete British colonial outfits like the Commonwealth and encouraged Sharma to turn a blind eye on the impeachment of the CJ.
Rather than recognizing defeat and quitting the leadership of the UNP so that a better person may take over, Ranil has tacitly conspired with the Rajapassa regime to destroy BOTH the UNP and democracy in Sri Lanka.
Ranil has destroyed the UNP by NOT grooming an able second generation of leadership and ignoring capable women like Rosy Senanayake. He has got rid of all the promising people in the younger generation and only the MORONIC LIAR Sajith Premadasa remains to challenge him.
Ranil Wickramasinghe pretends to be an intellectual but really is a cowardly moron – look as the way the impeachment of SB was carried out with Ranil playing games with the Commonwealth Secretariate.
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chamara / October 30, 2013
Rosy capable??? haha of what? Sajith should be made deputy leader without further delay. Sajith will go on to become President of the country soon.
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anton / November 1, 2013
Chamara
Well said , what is Rosy’s track record ? There are women in the UNP like Thalatha whose family have done so much for the party over the years . She is a qualified attorney at law. Wonder why “Don Stanley” Senanayake is lobbying so hard for Rosy !!
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chamara / October 30, 2013
This has been misquoted. I checked the hansard reference and it’s wrong!
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watey ranil / October 30, 2013
Tissa is asking for a CHOGM invite so his Ranil can get on CHOGM circuit,talk tosh.Meanwhile,RW has depression no more as he dreams of talking to Charles and others.
Every significant leader attending would have read a brief about Lanka and its ever loosing opposition leader who has amazing adhesion/adhesive properties.
After CHOGM he’ll probably get a RR to drive about due good behavior.
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Ishaq / October 30, 2013
When RW made this statement, UNP was like what MR and Co are today. SLFP was in ruins and RW was so certain that they would never pickup and come to power ever. But for his dismay, they took his advice, Mrs B gave up the leadership for CBK and the then opposition began their new journey, under a new agenda “ralla” and they were in power before RW could wink. Bottom line, he has to now heed to his own words 20years back and for the sake of the country, the people, the party and for him self, relent all powers he has and step down from his responsibilities as party and opposition leader. Yes, finding a CBK in the current UNP is not easy but the beginning of that process has to be his stepping down. Elect a credible authority/team within the party to take it forward from there on, till one day they will find a CBK to lead them and topple the government. I though, at this point, have zero hope about that, I hope I am wrong.
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Muslim / October 30, 2013
I want Azath Sally to be the leader of the UNP.
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Muheed Jeeran / October 30, 2013
Let tell you few Ways To Spot Ineffective Leadership and I think Ranil part of it.
1. Poor Character: A leader who lacks character or integrity will not endure the test of time. It doesn’t matter how intelligent, affable, persuasive, or savvy a person is, if they are prone to rationalizing unethical behavior based upon current or future needs they will eventually fall prey to their own undoing…
2. Poor Communication Skills: Show me a leader with poor communication skills and I’ll show you someone who will be short-lived in their position. Great leaders can communicate effectively across mediums, constituencies, and environments. They are active listeners, fluid thinkers, and know when to dial it up, down, or off.
3. Self-Serving Nature: If a leader doesn’t understand the concept of “service above self” they will not engender the trust, confidence, and loyalty of those they lead. Any leader is only as good as his or her team’s desire to be led by them. An over abundance of ego, pride, and arrogance are not positive leadership traits. Long story short; if a leader receives a vote of non-confidence from their subordinates…game over.
4. Lack of Focus and Follow-Through: Those leaders who lack the focus and attention to detail needed to apply leverage and resources in an aggressive and committed fashion will perish. Leaders who do not possess a bias toward action, or who cannot deliver on their obligations will not be successful. Leadership is about performance…Intentions must be aligned with results for leaders to be effective.
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Siri Kotha / October 30, 2013
Yes, true. Ranil told Sirimavo that she should
quit. He did not say that he will quit. That
is the difference.
Muslim is saying Azad Sally should be made the
UNP leader. He will sure need more coats and
trousers. He removes his suit only to go to bed.
I thought a better choice would be either Range
Bandara or Thushara Gunaratne.
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Mus / October 30, 2013
What’s wrong Sally dress in a suit. He is fearless and talks the truth.
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Gaje / October 30, 2013
Ranil and JRJ were conscious of Royal blood from Royal College!
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