The main opposition UNP said yesterday that SLFP members were unhappy with most of those in the party leadership and the government and thus called for a presidential election at Sunday’s convention.

UNP MP Gayantha Karunatilleke told a news conference SLFP members wanted a presidential election as their Ministers and MPs could not go to the voters because of the government’s poor performance.  “The government has been shaken and surprised by the request made by SLFP members at its annual convention. The government exposed its bankruptcy by being unable to declare either a presidential election or a general election at the SLFP convention, though there was much hype that such an announcement will be made,” he said.  (Read More)

The JVP said yesterday it would talk to opposition political parties this week on fielding a common candidate at a possible presidential election after the party central committee endorsed a proposal to support such a candidate who is acceptable to other parties.

JVP parliamentary group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told a news conference that throughout its political history, the JVP had been consistent in calling for the defeat of secessionism and the strengthening of democracy in Sri Lanka.

He criticized President Mahinda Rajapaksa for not declaring the much-awaited major election though the people eagerly expected him to do so at the SLFP convention on Sunday.

Former Army Commander and Chief of Defence Staff Sarath Fonseka said yesterday he would announce his future plans within the next two days. “Whatever is open and accessible to a civilian I will do and I will think about it in the next 48 hours,” the General said in response to a question regarding speculation on his entry into politics as the common opposition candidate at a presidential election.

“I don’t like to talk about politics while in uniform. I’ll make my comments only after I take it off,” he said. (Read More)

Addressing a press conference at the Party Head Office at Battaramulla, JVP Parliamentary group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said it was a party convention and not an official event of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. But the government has ordered all television channels to telecast it. The TV stations had to telecast it even interrupting their main news bulletins.  (Read More)

Government sources told The Sunday Island that an influential section within the UPFA believed that keeping to the polls schedule and not having a premature presidential election would be advantageous to the government.  (Read More)

"Politicians may come and go and governments may change but the country must continue to develop under a long term national policy", he stressed after handing over a copy of the policy statement of the UNF to the prelate.  (read More)

The main reason for this surprise move, according to these sources is the belief that it would be easier to defeat President Mahinda Rajapaksa by splitting the Sinhala vote in a three-cornered fight rather than in a straight contest. This new move is on the assumption that the Presidential poll will be held in January next year as widely expected, they added.

The UNP pressure group is looking into the possibility whether the UNF could field two candidates. “If there are legal snags in the way of fielding two candidates under the same party banner, we may have to field General Fonseka under the symbol of another party,” they said.

The UNP pressure group advocating the idea of fielding both Wickremesinghe and General Fonseka as opposition candidates will first seek the approval of the party’s Working Committee for the proposal.

Another reason for the new move is the apprehension that has gained ground among the senior UNP members that General Fonseka could continue in office regardless of his obligations to sponsors in the event of his being elected, leaving all the opposition parties in the lurch, another senior UNP member said.

“Coming down to brass tacks, it is quite obvious that General Fonseka will not be able to muster the vital Tamil and Muslim votes particularly in the North and East. But, Ranil can. He is also assured of the stable UNP vote base. He can easily win if General Fonseka is also in the running, because he can split the Sinhala Buddhist vote,” he explained.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) will formally invite Gen. Sarath Fonseka to contest the upcoming Presidential Election. The United National Front (UNF), whose constituent parties have already reached consensus on his candidature, as exclusively revealed in the Sunday Times last week, will thereafter publicly welcome the move. They will announce that the UNF will extend their full support, according to inter-party consultations now under way.

SLFP (Mahajana Wing) leader Mangala Samarweera is continuing talks with JVP Parliamentary group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake in this regard. Another initiative to rope in the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is being spearheaded on behalf of the UNF by Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem. He is talking to TNA leader R. Sampanthan, who later told the Sunday Times the TNA had not yet taken a decision. (Read More)

There are two elections ahead of us, the Parliamentary and Presidential. The latter is clearly the big prize and this is why most of the political speculation has surrounded the names of possible candidates, consequent implications and possible configuration of political forces.

The name that has emerged is of course ‘Sarath Fonseka’. He’s been touted by many as the man who could put up the best fight against the incumbent, President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Both the United National Party (UNP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) have mentioned him as a likely ‘Common Candidate’ (CC). (Read More)