With numbers on his side, will President Rajapaksa be able to deliver what he had promised to the people?
In 1980s, when the indigenous edition of Marxism was a fad in Sri Lanka, leftistJanatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) had a feeling that the time for revolution has arrived. It was already a force to reckon with in rural south, and was trying desperately to expand its base in urban Sri Lanka outside their university bastions. Suddenly, they realised that they need a rhetoric to match their vision! It was coined. “Kolombata kiri, Gamata kekiri”, ‘Milk for Colombo and melon for the village’ became a war cry.
Cut to April 2010. As Mahinda Rajapaksa led alliance swept the parliamentary polls, JVP, even with Sarath Fonseka as its allied face, barely managed to hold on to five parliamentary seats (down from 41 last time). As far as villages were concerned, it has been unbelievably routed. It seems Rajapaksa has not only sipped the milk, but has stolen the melon too — right under JVP’s nose. Clearly, he seems to be enjoying his stupendous meal.
The United National Party's (UNP) Captain Ranil Wickremesinghe is a seasoned politician. You can also call him an “Old war horse” depending on your mood; and his. After all, he is a veteran; the veteran of electoral debacles. So even after his party was trounced without trace, he insisted that the majority of the electorate did not exercise their franchise as they have divested their faith in the present system and the holding of a free and fair election. “The main function of the opposition is to ensure democracy and the campaign won’t be restricted to Parliament,” he noted on the electoral debacle. His urban vote bank has been ruthlessly decimated. Rajapaksa’s milk came from here.
“Rajapaksa is increasingly being perceived as a leader who keeps his promises. He had promised the end of LTTE and he delivered. Now the people are looking forward to his promises regarding developmental work,” said political expert Jehan Perera, an otherwise fierce critic of the President, while talking to TSI.
In 1980s, when the indigenous edition of Marxism was a fad in Sri Lanka, leftistJanatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) had a feeling that the time for revolution has arrived. It was already a force to reckon with in rural south, and was trying desperately to expand its base in urban Sri Lanka outside their university bastions. Suddenly, they realised that they need a rhetoric to match their vision! It was coined. “Kolombata kiri, Gamata kekiri”, ‘Milk for Colombo and melon for the village’ became a war cry.
Cut to April 2010. As Mahinda Rajapaksa led alliance swept the parliamentary polls, JVP, even with Sarath Fonseka as its allied face, barely managed to hold on to five parliamentary seats (down from 41 last time). As far as villages were concerned, it has been unbelievably routed. It seems Rajapaksa has not only sipped the milk, but has stolen the melon too — right under JVP’s nose. Clearly, he seems to be enjoying his stupendous meal.
The United National Party's (UNP) Captain Ranil Wickremesinghe is a seasoned politician. You can also call him an “Old war horse” depending on your mood; and his. After all, he is a veteran; the veteran of electoral debacles. So even after his party was trounced without trace, he insisted that the majority of the electorate did not exercise their franchise as they have divested their faith in the present system and the holding of a free and fair election. “The main function of the opposition is to ensure democracy and the campaign won’t be restricted to Parliament,” he noted on the electoral debacle. His urban vote bank has been ruthlessly decimated. Rajapaksa’s milk came from here.
“Rajapaksa is increasingly being perceived as a leader who keeps his promises. He had promised the end of LTTE and he delivered. Now the people are looking forward to his promises regarding developmental work,” said political expert Jehan Perera, an otherwise fierce critic of the President, while talking to TSI.
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