UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa will present the confidence motion in support of ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in Parliament tomorrow.
Premadasa’s decision to present the motion is a strong indication that the UNP is squarely behind Wickremesinghe. Sirisena, on several occasions, attempted to appoint Premadasa as the Prime Minister through the back door, replacing Wickremesinghe.
Even last week, Sirisena made a desperate attempt to drive a wedge between Wickremesinghe and Premadasa by planting a fabricated story in the Mawbima and Ceylon Today newspaper, owned by controversial Parliamentarian Tiran Alles, saying the UNP leader had promised the Finance Ministry and the UNP Deputy Leader post to Ravi Karunanayake.
The UNP expects that 117 MPs – 103 from the UNP and 14 from the TNA – will vote in favour of the confidence motion on Wickremesinghe. The motion will position Wickremesinghe as the Member of Parliament commanding the support of a majority of Parliamentarians in the House.
The JVP parliamentary group, led by Anura Kumara Dissanayake, is expected to abstain from voting.
The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has already decided to boycott parliamentary sessions tomorrow. However, four of the six recognized political parties in Parliament, namely the UNP, the TNA, the JVP and the SLMC, will attend parliamentary sessions and support the Speaker to conduct the proceedings.
M. Basnayake / December 11, 2018
There appears to be a massive movement going on to replace Ranil as the UNP leader at the moment from within the UNP. I must agree, the time has come. Ranil as a leader inspires no one. I do believe he is a good person with a great vision for sri lanka, but if democracy is to be ensured, the UNP will have to win the next general election and to do that, the UNP has to change its leader. But it cannot be done through force, the party has to unite in agreement that the UNP leader has to change.
/
edwin rodrigo / December 12, 2018
NOPE! This will create an unprecedented precedent for any President anywhere in the democratic world to grab power through a conspiracy.
.
1) NO PRECDENTS PLEASE
2) REWIND BACK TO 26/10
/
M. Basnayake / December 12, 2018
I agree with you Edwin. What I mean is Ranil should be made PM again but at the next general election, the UNP PM candidate will be someone else. Ranil should eventually realize that his influence will only grow if he give us up power. He will gain an image as an elderly statesment who everyone will turn to for advice.
/
edwin rodrigo / December 12, 2018
I agree with you, provided the next general election is held not as Sira’s or Mahinda’s fancy but in accordance with the constitution. Perhaps, in that election I will not vote for Ranil if he comes forward.
/
executive from co operate / December 12, 2018
Nothing will change all remains same ,unp has no ability to win any election in future since their vote base is too small when considering with the massive vote base of slfp. In srilanka mahindas slfp has 46% vote base as a single party and slfp has 8% , unp has 22% and unp alliance parties like slmc, rishard,digambaram, helaurumaya, mano can give another 8% vote base to unp alliance. TNA has 5% JVP has 6% and 7% floating votes. If unp wants to give a competion to slfp at least 1.2 million slfp votes has to boycott from voting and entire 7% floating vote base has to go to unp alliance .this was happened in 2015 election .in that case even unp only got 105 seats while 1.1 million Slfpers did not vote. Now there is no any possibility that entire 7% floating vote base vote for unp because of the incapibility they have shown in economic management ,it is even not a average performance it is a utterly poor economic management by unp since its shows unp was incapable of doing huge 80 billion USD economy which was architected by mahindas slfp government which they have took only a small economy of 20 billion. In 2005. Unp as a party or leaders like Jr, premadasa who unable uplift the srilankan economy at least up to 15 billion USD during 1977- 1994 how we can expect to to do a 80 billion huge business economy which was architected by slfp during 2005- 2015. Unp does not have any thing like mahinda or slfp. All the high ranking business class and all reputed media with mahinda. We can cry for unp but no point since they can’t do any thing like slfp we very hardly gave them a chance but unp made the srilank public to beg and to collect food from dust bins. Unp is good for democracy but in economic management they are not 1% capable of slfps economic management skills.
/
Raj / December 13, 2018
Executive from co operate
”……unp was incapable of doing huge 80 billion USD economy which was architected by mahindas slfp government….”
Where did you get all these statistics? You are in make believe land.
/
Fathima / December 12, 2018
UNP might have seen many election defeats with Ranil as their leader, but today under the same leadership, UNP stands a party that has majority of educated, decent and disciplined politicians who have been mentored to stay firm, focused and united on their stance, and not willing to put down their leader at any desperate circumstances. Perhaps, it is Sri Lankans who are not yet ready to accept RW type of politicians
/
Janaka from Matara / December 12, 2018
(1) The UNP having a stubborn wise fool at the top (2) The country having a deceitful lunatic at the top & are two different issues. One might legitimately argue (1) caused (2). However, the situation will not get resolved if we undo them in the same order.
/
Sinhala_Man / December 11, 2018
All this is inevitable, given President Sirisena’s stubbornness. It is Sirisena who is totally responsible for this; he has to correct the mistakes he made, by restoring the situation to what it was six weeks ago.
.
This is doing immense harm to the country.
/
MsMaralathoni / December 12, 2018
I now wish RW to get appointed again amidst vehement protest of so call president.
President should deserved to be cornered in the days to come. People should see it right LET ALONE now, that leaders that need to respect constitution should be the ones to be welcome by the people.
Even today, president stressed that a functionl govt would be essential in order to get passed all overdue agreements sofar.
/
Native Vedda / December 12, 2018
Anura Kumara Dissanayake
–
“The JVP parliamentary group, led by Anura Kumara Dissanayake, is expected to abstain from voting.”
–
Here we go again.
Are you sitting on the fence again?
This is not about Ranil per se, it is the abuse of the office of the prime minister that is at stake now.
–
Your ideological hair splitting can wait until this larger issue is resolved.
/
Thappu / December 12, 2018
Native Vedda, Absolutely.
/
Kamalawathie Sameer / December 12, 2018
NV – I agree, this bugger is “AT&T” (always talking and talking). His statements are far below expectation!
/
Thushara / December 12, 2018
JVP has always been this opportunistic. It’s their only motto. No clear vision. It’s not about Ranil’s future. It’s the democracy at stake. If RW loses NCM motion we will not forgive the JVP.
/
edwin rodrigo / December 12, 2018
Kalaveddah, first you come down from my ceiling. Then we can think of AKD coming down from the fence.
/
Thushara / December 12, 2018
JVP talks the talk but when the time comes to walk the walk they are on the fence chanting the same mantra like toads in a well.
/
Uthungan / December 12, 2018
NV
The JVP though presenting a pro democracy facet is still hampered in the doldrums of it’s past.
The ‘sitting on the fence’ ideological hairsplitting is a result of the old racist mill stone still hanging by a few threads on the JVP neck.
Once that drops on it’s feet, the JVP I suppose would be free of it’s suspicious ideological hair splitting tendencies about the minorities in SL.
/
Kumaran / December 12, 2018
If these third grade educated, corrupt, utterly stupid politicians, stood for the nation, then we would never have to go through all these.
/
Eagle Eye / December 12, 2018
Sinhala_Man,
“This is doing immense harm to the country.”
President save this country from a greater catastrophe by removing Ranil who danced according to the tune of White Supremacists and Koti Diaspora and did not care for the people in this country. Ranil is reincarnation of King Don Juan Dharmapala who became a Christian and handed over Kotte Kingdom to Portuguese as a gift for his survival.
/
Sinhala_Man / December 13, 2018
Thanks, Eagle Eye,
.
for giving us your eagle eye view of things.
.
My views are rather different. The problem is that you’re trying to impose your crazy views on me. I call your views “crazy” because you assert unverifiable propositions like who is whose re-incarnation.
.
Please lodge yourself in a lunatic asylum if you want to continue making ridiculous assertions of this sort. Actually your lunacy doesn’t matter much; what worries us is that the President’s statements are are as crazy.
/
Amarasiri / December 11, 2018
Sajith Premadsda and UNP,
Yes. This is no longer about Ranil or the UNP. It is about the constitution and the rule of law. Didn’t Sirisena take an oath to protect and defend the constitution? He has turned out to be the madman the late Dr. N M Perera presciently predicted in 1978. Now he has teamed up with 40 thieves and crooks.
/
Ajay / December 11, 2018
Great news after so much doom and gloom. Sira and Mara are reported to have got the shivers.
/
Agnos / December 12, 2018
Ajay,
I have some concerns about the time it is taking the SC to come up with a decision. Because the law was clear, why couldn’t they simply put everything to rest by a clear declaration early enough? Do they have some surprises in store?
/
Ajay / December 13, 2018
Agnos,
I too was holding my breath, but just now (5:30pm) it was reported by the Daily Mirror that the supreme court had ruled unanimously that Sirisena’s decision to dissolve Parliament was unconstitutional and illegal. WOW.
/
Rush / December 11, 2018
We report you decide – has so far not reported on the petition filed by Ms Jayewardane. Their slogan has now changed “We report only what we want and you have to believe what we say”
Now their agenda is clear and their reporting on the CBSL bond issue from day one seems to be a ‘pre-arranged deal. That deal lead to making all the noise. Their new slogan ” thena hadana thena ‘ meant they will together oust Tanil Wickrenesinghe from power. ( this comment is not in relation to this article.)
/
Kettikaran / December 11, 2018
Whatever happens the Rajapakses joined by the robed Rasputins, the Sinhala extreme controlled by the Mudalalis and sections of the army will not allow Aiyo Sira to quit
now. In his plight and present state of mind don’t be surprised if he asks to be pardoned by Ranil and the restoration of the Status Quo.
Kettikaran
/
Raj / December 11, 2018
Sajith is intelligent enough, unlike stupid Sirisena, to understand that his turn will come & abiding time without undermining party leadership, he will gain respect within & outside the party. However, if the JVP abstain in the voting at a time when the country, effectively, has no direction under a scheming, shameless, self serving President, the integrity of JVP & it’s leader, AKD, is questionable. This is a time when minority parties should collectively work together for the betterment of the country.
/
Kamalawathie Sameer / December 12, 2018
Raj – AKD (Also Known as Donkey), are you listening?
/
Rajash / December 11, 2018
I agree that Ranil should step down and hand over the leadership of UNP and Premiership to the younger generation.
However Ranil should do this on his own terms.
He cannot be forced to step down by the actions of My3 Shitsena.
I am certain once Ranil regains his legitimate Premiership he will do the honour.
/
Thushara / December 12, 2018
I completely agree with your comment Rajash. Also when Sajith becomes the leader he should be intelligent enough to stay away from they report he decides media mafia. Otherwise he will rot.
/
MNIN Perera (OTC) / December 12, 2018
Forget for the moment the personalities and think.
Whose actions are legitimate?
Parliament or the President?
–
Read the SC Judgement on presidential powers post 19A, available here on CT (https://www.colombotelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/SC-SD-4-to-19-of-2015.pdf).
–
There is a clear reference to how a SL President’s power can be pruned down.
–
According to it, until the given guidelines are complied with (including a referendum) even the President cannot relinquish the powers vested on him/her by the Sovereign people.
–
19A gave us many good things but failed to curtail the powers of the elected President.
–
Thus the President continues to enjoy the powers he enjoyed pre 19A which includes the power to dissolve Parliament after a year.
–
Would like to hear from anyone who has another interpretation of the SC judgement.
/
Ajith / December 11, 2018
Sajith is not a fool like Mahinda to fall into the trap of Srisena. Srisena’s intention was not to give PM to Sajith but to divide the UNP. Sajith is young and he knows that his future is only in UNP. Sajith also knows that he needs the support of Ranil to become PM.
In people mind, Sirisena and Mahinda are liars, cheaters. Now people understand that they only use LTTE to create fear among Sinhalese and they lie for their own benefits. Every one knows that they received billions worth commissions and they have millions worth bribe.
It is a good time for UNP to reorganise and restructure the party to accomodate all people by ensuring the rule of law, justice and equality. I am sure Sajith will understand the importance of the honesty and openness. He has a good future if he follow the true principles of Lord Bhudda’s teachings.
/
Soma / December 11, 2018
Good but these exercises wouldn’t work, only way is to get on the streets, and chase this no two cents worth lunatic bugher away. The people’s power is the greatest power, not Shitsena’s power. He is not acting in the interest of the country or the people but in his selfish interest and the interest of his party. He wouldn’t care, even country and people go to the dogs. Best thing is like the French Yellow Vest moment to teach him a lesson.
/
Real Revolutionist / December 11, 2018
Doing it again & again!
What for?
Getting slapped themselves?
/
edwin rodrigo / December 11, 2018
Parallel World Explanation:Great! This is how the game should be played. All against the common enemy who happened to be their own common candidate.
.
Everything should be rewound back to the situation on the 26/10 just before Sira called RW to give him the sack. Then things can be allowed to take the natural course. This is what is recommended by the theory of parallel worlds, in which all kinds of different worlds exist in parallel. These are called ‘branes’ a special case of commonly known ‘membranes’.
.
On 26/10 there was a major tremor and two branes came in to contact at the President’s house. MS the goat became MS the Tiger and started attacking Ranil in the abnormal destructive brane. We must leave that behind and get back to the normal brane. That can only be done by rewinding back to where the contact branes clashed as in a movie in one of those old-fashioned VHS tapes.
.
Dropping Ranil can be done later, if it is really necessary, once the oscillations subside and things become calm again. Not now. Ranil is an essential part of the correction as is Sira.
.
Also, removing Ranil would create a precedent for future actions, which could be used by errant politicians the world over. No. Let Ranil must be allowed to continue. That is why I salute this move. Besides, this method has been approved by my Gaban Atha my Cia – the Omniscient and Omnipotent creator of the universe.
/
justice / December 11, 2018
From all accounts, Ranil is one of the few politicians who are not corrupt.
Sirisena had earlier called for an assets declaration by Ranil – if there were ‘unearned’ assets, these would have been publicised by now.
This may be why, Sirisena hates Ranil.
The many MPs who had reportedly accepted One Million each from Perpetual Treasuries have not yet been charged for corruption – why?
Will Sirisena dare to declare his assets?
/
MNIN Perera (OTC) / December 12, 2018
Can the SL President relinquish his powers?
Sirisena unquestionably had the power to dissolve Parliament before the 19A but did he continue to have it post 19A?
The answer lies within the SC judgement on 19A.
The SC Judgement available here on CT (https://www.colombotelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/SC-SD-4-to-19-of-2015.pdf) says the President cannot relinquish his powers unless parliament decides with a 2/3 majority AND the people approves it in a referendum.
There was no referendum post the SC judgement
There in lies the answer to the question whether Sirisena possessed the power to dissolve Parliament at the time he did so and apparently he still does. I am a layman and I may be wrong.
Can a competent lawyer shed some light please?
Greetings Native Vedda, you know how to contact me.
/
Native Vedda / December 12, 2018
MNIN Perera (OTC)
–
Greetings to you.
Good to hear from you.
Are you alright?
Haven’t heard from you for million years.
/
MNIN Perera (OTC) / December 12, 2018
I am more advanced in years but fine thank you.
–
I was saddened to see the dearth of rational thinking, the main reason why our dishonest politicians can fool the masses so easily even when they are wrong (as they are doing now).
–
See the antics of these politicians even in the face of an SC judgement giving clear interpretations of 19A. Most of them are lawyers and they know what that judgement means. Yet they are able to put up a show that has the majority fooled and the country gasping.
–
The previous SC ruling on 19A has blazed a trail for the 7 judge bench. Lets see what the new judgement is.
/
K A Sumanasekera / December 12, 2018
Dr Ranil has been house Training Keselwatta Kid for nearly 20 years since his Old Man passed away..
So what is the big deal.
–
In contrast what is really interesting is the English Speaking young Nayakka ( as my mate Vadda calls him) taking the center stage in Maskeliya.
–
Nayakka said enough is enough. And Dr Ranil now must move on .
Nayakka even displayed a bit of wit & humor saying his Old Man beat Dr Ranil by two votes when they fought each other to get the UNP Boss Gig 20 years ago.
That was I believe after Keselwatta Kid’s Daddy passed on.
–
The Old Man took it up to the best of the best of Elite and Anglicans .
And thrashed them to become the President.
–
The Kid is certainly is not a chip off the Old Block..
–
Sinhalala Buddhist Faction must now seriously think of falling behind Nayakka unless they intend joining Malwatu Nikaya for all their Religious and Spiritual needs..
/
Native Vedda / December 12, 2018
KASmaalam K A Sumanasekera
–
“Dr Ranil has been house Training Dr Ranil has been house Training Keselwatta Kid for nearly 20 years since his Old Man passed away.. for nearly 20 years since his Old Man passed away..”
–
What did you eat this morning?
Do remember it?
What a convenient, short memory.
A few years ago Keselwatta Kid threw tantrums at the party leadership, he wanted to be the paramount leader of the UNP.
The UNP worked out a compromise, roped in Karu Jayasuriya to manage the transition and the kid was rewarded with deputy leadership.
–
Please tell me what is the extra bit that the kid is going to bring to the party, parliament and the entire paradise (country), apart from two years of fun that he had in the UK and father’s reputation?
–
The party must be suffering from poverty of leadership material.
By the way you should stop comparing the old man with his kid or with Dutta Gamani’s kids.
–
Dutta Gamani looked down on the old man because the old man didn’t fit neatly into Sinhala/Buddhist caste hierarchy.
–
I suspect you are trying to promote Sajith and Navin Nayakka at the same time along with Bandula. What is your big idea?
/
Saro / December 12, 2018
Sajith Premadasa is a gentleman and lives to uplift the lives of his fellow countrymen and women as his father did. Here is a quote from a tribute written by one of his admirers :
“Sajith was born on 12 January 1967. Sajith attended St. Thomas Preparatory School, Royal College, Colombo and Mill Hill School, London. Sajith won the A/L prize for politics and business studies and besides being appointed a prefect, a rare honour for any foreign student, also played in the first XI cricket team for four years, captaining the side in 1986. A graduate of the London School of Economics (LSE) and Political Science of the University of London, his degree covered the areas of economics, politics and international relations.
Following his B.Sc. at LSE, Sajith decided to pursue a Master’s degree in Public Management at the University of Maryland, near Washington DC. During his studies, Sajith also had the rare distinction of completing his internship at the US Senate, working in its Foreign Relations Committee under Senator Larry Pressler, a Republican from South Dakota. Sajith met many other influential senators, including John McCain and former presidential candidate , John Kerry”.
“
/
Thushara / December 12, 2018
Thanks for the information about Sajith most of which we have not known.
/
Native Vedda / December 12, 2018
Thushara
–
“Thanks for the information about Sajith most of which we have not known.”
–
Perhaps it is figment of Saro’s imagination.
/
Native Vedda / December 12, 2018
Saro
–
Please cite your reference for the glorification of someone who piggybacked on his father’s reputation.
–
Daham Sirisena at a very young age also had the rare distinction of representing the nation at UN, ……………. and he also attended uni in the UK.
–
Namal Rajapaksa met Muammar Al Gathafi in his tent, …………….
/
Buramphisincho / December 12, 2018
Saro,
Please come with the facts if Sajith Premadas’s Education.
As far as our information is concerned, he has just started with his Uni education but failed to complete his degree.
Bsides, he cant have done any kind of BSC, but mostly likely him to have just started a BCom or anything similar to that.
Today, we are all connected to internet and can clear things easily if he has a record of education as you mentioned above.
Besides, he has no yet enough experience to lead this nation.
Just holding speeches CAN not help anyone.
Please come back to me with a constructive response. Meaning not that Sajith is not qualified, but we are afraid of an another Rajakashe in Sajith s person. I hate to respect Rajakshes or the kind of politcis being established in this poor country.
Thanks,
/
Sinhala_Man / December 14, 2018
Dear Saro,
.
I have for a few years been of the view that Sajith ought to be given a chance to lead the UNP. He’s close to getting there now, and may be the leader of the Nation quite soon. Unfortunately, we’ve had too many people making it there and then disappointing us.
.
I’m a guy who takes Native Vedda seriously. I don’t agree with Buramphisincho that Sajith lacks experience, but I’m glad to see his queries.. Some claim that that this 51 year old is “too young”. Strange notions we have! However, now that you have appeared as a surrogate for him, may I ask you to explain some contradictions that I see in his post-secondary-school experiences abroad?
.
I don’t think that specific educational qualifications should be looked for, but if there is bluffing, I’d be seriously concerned. This is his Wikipedia entry:
.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sajith_Premadasa
.
Could you please explain why it says that ” there are no records of him obtaining any tertiary qualifications”, while granting that he entered LSE? I’ve seen specific allegations that he flunked. O.K. by me if that is acknowledged. Are you saying he completed a Master’s in Maryland? Both McCaine and Kerry unsuccessfully contested for POTUS, from different parties, but Kerry especially is better remembered for quite different things.
.
Could you also explain why his personal website has this in Latin?
.
http://sajithpremadasa.org/about/faq/
.
I don’t know the language, but I put a bit of it in Google Translator; the results didn’t make sense.
.
CT will allow us to discuss this for seven whole days more. Saro, please respond to both Buramphisincho and me. No response will transform me from supporter to skeptic.
/
Pon Kulendiren / December 12, 2018
It is time for Ranil to retire honorably after winning the No confidence motion against him. Let Sajith take over. Ranil or Karu can be President Young, educated blood is needed in UNP
/
Eagle Eye / December 12, 2018
Saman Ratnapriya of ‘Puravesi Balaya’ has reminded the President what happened to Libyan leader Gadafi and told a similar thing could happen in Sri Lanka. Probably, he is telling what his pay masters are planning. White Supremacists who do not care for the people in this country will resort to any means to bring their poodle to power. However, Saman and his gang should take into consideration what is happening to NGO and Civil Society leaders who are responsible for ruining Libya. People in Libya hate these guys and have killed several of them. Do our lot also want to face a similar fate? Sinhalayo whose forefathers sacrificed their lives to save this country from invaders from Hindusthan and Europe could be harsher than Libyans.
/
Jay / December 12, 2018
An amicable and sane propositions to the current constitutional saga are, RW be elected as PM as should resign immediately. A visionary LEADER should take the helm and be appointed PM. Parliament should convene with all parties present and 2/3 rd of the parliamentarians vote to impeach the current President and change the Constitution.
Executive presidency should be abolished, and if at all Sri Lanka need a President, let it be a ceremonial president with no executive powers.
Go ahead, SRI LANKA.
/
Jmmysm / December 12, 2018
Jay,
There are no visionary Leaders or Statesmen in Sri Lanka. In the past 70 Years since independence this country has been in crises after crisis. Has there been a single period in our 70 years history where we can look back and say that it was one of the most peaceful, together with political, social, economic prosperity eras?
Race politics has been used to come to power. But race politics cannot sustain a nation. A proper economic policy where all our people could prosper is needed. The advantages this country had at the time of independence have been squandered by our leaders. Countries with worst situation than us have progressed rapidly compared to us.
One example would be Vietnam which fought a war with America, Cambodia and China is today developing rapidly to become a 1st world country. Intel an American company has opened the largest chip making factory in the world. Samsung has invested heavily to manufacture phones and many foreign owned Chinese companies are moving their factories to Vietnam.
In Sri Lanka what we have are politicians who work for the next election not statesman who work for the next generation.
/
Eagle Eye / December 12, 2018
Sajith who chickened out when he was requested to be the PM to save ‘Yahapalana’ Government should be condemned as a person who does not have leadership qualities and as a person who does not care for the people in this country. He is spitting on the face of people in this country by expressing his confidence on a guy who is responsible for the biggest bank robbery, violated the ‘Yahapalana’ principals, all out to sell national assets to foreigners, willing to break the country into pieces to satisfy the pay masters of ‘Regime Change’ and ‘Koti’ Diaspora. Sajith, you are an utter disgrace to your father who was a patriotic leader.
/
Lanka Watch / December 12, 2018
I totally agree with the sentiment expressed by Mr. M. Basnayake that RW inspires no one and it is high
time he gives up the leadership to a younger person. The ideally suited person is Mr. Sajith Premadasa
who is with the poor and the son of the late prime Minister Mr. R,P.Premadasa, who was the only PM in the history of Sri Lankan politics, stood for the poor and worked with the rural masses. UNP would have occupied a prominent place and established themselves as a leading party long back in the country, if
RW did not become a stumbling block in the leadership races. He took ‘no protest’ for “submission’ by
the UNP member ship. He wanted only his men & women in places of importance and his selections of administrators like Mahendran, were a disaster. Despite several failures behind his career, he was not prepared to give up leadership but held it with the support of the Radala (Royal) clan He has no base among the rural masses, unlike Sajith but still survived. RW is much senior to MS in politics but could
not use his knowledge and diplomacy to maintain cordial relationship with MS in maintaining a stable govt. and save the reputation of the country.
As BAS suggested UNP should find a leader, acceptable to rural masses and the minorities and get set
for the general elections as there is a good chance for UNP to win the next elections if they form a
coalition of respected parties. TNA could sweep the Tamil Votes of N/E, JVP with their recent good showing in support of maintain democracy in the country, and could muster 25-30 seats,. Muslims
now united and could form a coalition and sweep the Muslim votes all over the Island, and the dynamic leader Mano Ganeshan could get other minority votes from the hills & urban areas.
/
Eagle Eye / December 12, 2018
Sajith and the MPs in Unpatriotic National Party can bring a Confidence Motion but their is no vacancy for a PM post at the moment. Court has not dismissed Mahinda Rajapakse from PM post. Ranil can be sworn as the PM of Sirikotha, not Sri Lanka. The irony is GUU N.P. politicians who came to power promising to eradicate corruption are protecting the guy who is responsible for the biggest bank robbery in Sri Lankan history and protecting the MPs who took money to protect him. Sinhala voters should reject all these corrupt GUU N.P. politicians at the next elections.
/
Real Revolutionist / December 12, 2018
Sajith & Ranil @ the crease
Who is to be called by the other for that quick single to make the required run out!
/
Thushara / December 12, 2018
JVP again show their true opportunistic colours. They collect votes even when the country is in anarchy. How disgusting. They are also as rotten as president.IfRanil loses NCM premiership will go to MR and JVP must take the blame.
Come on JVP take your vengeance from Ranil later. At least he is democratic. This is your last chance to win public trust. Don’t act like children in a playhouse. Save the country first quarrel later.
/
SJ / December 12, 2018
Overkill can be suicidal.
Making Ranil the issue defeats the purpose of the campaign to defend the Constitution.
Legal action on every undemocratic and unconstitutional act by the President is correct,
The succession of votes in Parliament have established that the President had no justification to act in the name of a majority.
The JVP cannot commit political suicide to please UNP fans.
Even the TNA’s position is weakened by this move.
The trouble is within the UNP camp. The political infighting raised its head as usual and hence the need to establish its leader’s credibility.
If the SC holds that the dismissal of the government is illegitimate, things should be back to original status quo. It would have been wise to take that route.
When has wisdom guided our parliamentary political parties and leaders?
/
Plato. / December 12, 2018
Native.
Your line…
……Your ideological hair splitting can wait until the larger issue is resolved……
Precisely Native!
The JVP is playing a Holier than Thou Holy card.
/
Moshe Arens / December 12, 2018
What if MS and MR buys the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court delivers verdict in favour of MS and MR? Then what happens to the democracy, constitution et al? Will the Sri Lankans be like the old NATO, no action talking only? OR will they rise to the occasion just once, and overthrow MS and MR through people’s power, like the Serbians did to Slobodan Milosevich? I pray though, justice, constitutional democracy and rule of law will prevail and these ill-advised and illegal move of MS becomes the most reckoning in Sri Lanka’s journey in becoming a pluralistic, democratic, prosperous nation it should have become 50 years ago.
/
SJ / December 12, 2018
Serbians did nothing of that sort.
Milosevic was always popular in Serbia, The crisis in Yugoslavia was to a large extent a US-EU creation.
In fairness to Milosevic, when he lost the election he stepped down.
It was the US and its allies that selectively targetted and persecuted him, ignoring Croatian mass murderers and Saudi-paid terrorists in Bosnia, among others.
*
If the Supreme Court delivers an adverse verdict against Parliamentary democracy, thank JRJ for all the blessings that came with the Constitution of 1978.
/
rbh / December 12, 2018
Weakness does not mean that you dont have intellectual strength
People think Ranil and Karu are weak they have trump cards used it properly they knew when to use it, they were met strong endings there approach is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that apparent/Deception weakness into a strength These people can face any one from the world a cheerful act
/
gooss / December 12, 2018
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
/
edwin rodrigo / December 12, 2018
It is the Aralu stupid! Benjamin Franklin said, “Most people return small favors, acknowledge medium ones and repay greater ones – with ingratitude”. 99% of us would place Sira in Category 3 in the Benjamin Franklin classification.
.
It is unbelievable. I can understand a Royal educated Colombo 7 Kulta behaving that way – but not a guy who was born, grew up and ‘educated’ – up to Grade 8 – in a village school. Village folk are grateful folk. We can attribute the initial incident to ‘parallel world’ tremors. But things going from bad to worse subsequently cannot be attributed to a clash of ‘branes’.
.
So what happened? Again, it is the Aralu stupid! In an effort to correct things that had gone horribly wrong, Sira consulted Aralu Veda, who, as usual, prescribed an extra strength dose of Aralu to be given to all members of LPP, SLFP, PP, Pohottuwa, IPP, in short anything with a Pee in it, including Sira who has Pee in MaithriPala.
.
When you take Aralu, Shit happens. That is the whole point of taking Aralu – to make Shit happen. But every good thing must come to an end – even shit. But this did not. It was non-stop shit. Well, that is where the ‘brains’ should have come in. But they did not come in, because there were no brains to come in. There were branes but no brains. In trying to clean up the shit, they spread it all over – Inside the parliament, outside it, at meetings, interviews, you name where, there was shit there (මෝඩය ගූ හත් පොලේ ගා ගන්නවලු).
.
The only silver lining is best said in Sinhala: ලෙඩා මළත් බඩ සුද්ද උනාලු.
/
MNIN Perera (OTC) / December 12, 2018
Hope this will enlighten you.
–
The SC judgement on the Constitutionality of 19A, states that a SL President has no power to relinquish the powers conferred on him by the Sovereign people (https://www.colombotelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/SC-SD-4-to-19-of-2015.pdf).
–
The only way to reduce these powers is to pass a resolution with a 2/3 majority in Parliament AND obtaining the approval of the people at a referendum.
–
There was no referendum !
/
Lanka Watch / December 13, 2018
Though Mr. Sajith Premadasa presented the confidence motion in support of RW in the parliament to be
the only candidate for PM’s position, from UNP, the body language in the photo, does not show such unity
as Sajith looked the other way, when they were photographed. Sad situation !
RW, is a cricket lover and he should leave the political field as ‘retired hurt’ and let Sajith come to the
crease.
/