Will UNP split to Two..?

2019-08-16 14335

The escalating internal crisis situation in the United National Party has created an arena for a major discussion in politics today. The crisis being so terrible, coming to the level of openly disusing about internal issues, is not healthy in a situation where few elections are in the queue. Continuation of this situation is definite a bad sign, since handing over of nominations is due at the mid September for the presidential election, to be held on or around 24th November.

Pohottuwa has already initiated its election campaign and JVP too will declare its candidate whiting another few days. It is very pathetic to mislead the party members. It is very clear that UNP cannot win the election on its own without forming an Alliance, in a situation where its vote base had drastically dropped to 26% at the last provincial council election.

The issue had got further complicated with the postponing of the formation of the Alliance or Front owing to disputes in forming the pact with minority parties and the split in the parliamentary group and the working Committee. Eventhough the both groups within the party agreeing to form an Alliance is satisfactory, the new conflict has been created by one group trying to nominate the candidate before the formation of the Alliance and the other group after the formation.

One group takes up the position of nominating the candidate before formation of the Alliance is not advisable since, if the parties hoping to align with the pact do not prefer the candidate, there will be obstacles in the formation. Hence the candidate should be selected with the consent of all the aligned parties. If the parties so willing to align with the Alliance refuse the pact, winning of the election will not be possible due to losing their votes.

The other group thinks that if the candidate is decided by the UNP which has the majority votes after the formation of the Alliance, he will lose the opportunity if the party leaders reject his candidature. Hence the UNP should be vested with the power of selecting the candidate. Therefore they take up the position of forming the Alliance after nominating the candidate. Eventhough the party has cracked to two on this conflict, still a candidate has not been nominated.

While one group is proposing Sajith Premadasa, the rest who oppose it do not propose any one emphasizing that it is more suitable to nominate the candidate after declaration of the election. Though Mr. Ranil Wickramasinge expects the Prime Minister position, he will not contest the presidential election. Eventhough the names of Karu Jayasuriya and Champika Ranawaka are highlighted by rumors, these names are not brought forward as Sajith’s camp proposed his name.

UNP will have to remain in the opposition for at least Ten to Fifteen years if it fails to filed a common candidate with the consent and the blessings of all parties.

If the situation is so hot, what will be the end..?

If these two groups cannot come to a common concession, braking away of one group cannot be prevented. What is clear from the direction of these two groups is the effort by each other to depart rather than getting together and to do something forcibly.

The Lord Buddha when was residing in Nigrodharamaya in Kibulwathnuwara had to preach “Watukurulu Jathakaya” to convince that the devastation of not only the humans but also the animals is not preventable amid the arguments plunged as a result of the conflict between Shakya and Koliya Royal Clans. I think that this Sermon is more suitable for the leaders of the UNP.

Shall we join for the relief..?

Go for devastation by departing..?

Isn’t it the braking away of one group is the ultimate result..?.

Otherwise the rift of the party..?.

It is the members who are again going to lose. We will leave the decision to the time.