{"id":112249,"date":"2013-10-29T22:20:20","date_gmt":"2013-10-29T16:50:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=112249"},"modified":"2013-11-03T05:54:09","modified_gmt":"2013-11-03T00:24:09","slug":"ranil-tells-sirima-in-1992-leaders-who-lose-elections-must-go-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/ranil-tells-sirima-in-1992-leaders-who-lose-elections-must-go-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Ranil Tells Sirima In 1992: Leaders Who Lose Elections Must Go"},"content":{"rendered":"

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe<\/a><\/span> who is now embroiled in a bitter struggle to retain his position with the party, derided SLFP Leader and former Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike<\/a><\/span> for refusing to quit her party leadership despite losing successive elections.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Ranil<\/p><\/div>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

“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.\u00a0 \u201cI will tell you that at the next elections you will lose, the elections after that you will lose and the election after that\u201d. He continued: \u201cYou all cannot win. You want people from other parties.\u201d<\/p>\n

The following excerpts from his speech are from Hansard, columns 1045-1046.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Government has not run away. We have said here is the forum, go to the forum and prove the case. The opportunity is available\u2026.. 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\u00a0 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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