Election enthusiasm grasps Sri Lanka – By Arundathie Abeysinghe
In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way. Franklin D. Roosevelt
In politics, nothing is impossible. There are discussions in political circles to scrap the Executive Presidency. Along with this move, there is fear among ordinary citizens, civic groups and trade union activists and opposition parties, if the government will attempt to postpone the Presidential Elections in the guise of enacting constitutional amendments to abolish the Executive Presidency. Yet, postponing elections, Presidential or Parliamentary is unlikely as public opinion is building against such a move. Sri Lanka is abuzz with election fever, although, the presidential election, constitutionally scheduled for this year, has not yet been officially declared.
Major political parties are preparing for the Presidential and General Elections, the former due by end 2024.
Meanwhile, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has kept his party (United National Party – UNP) supporters as well as rival opposition parties in suspense and not committed to contest the Presidential Election, although, there are speculations among his party members that he would serve as President until 2030. Instead, he has constantly said that his priority was resurrecting the country from the economic crisis, the worst experienced during the post-independence era.
Meanwhile, the government anticipates to sign agreements with the creditors on debt restructuring shortly along with some type of understanding with private bond holders. If such a procedure occurs as expected in political circles, it will be a significant occasion as the island nation will not be called “bankrupt” in the international arena thereafter, seen as a positive sign by analysts as the country once resuscitated from bankruptcy, the credit rating of the country will improve. Analysts are of the view that higher echelons of power may be anticipating this move to announce elections as the perceptions of ordinary citizens may be favorable of the government.
The President and his camp also perceive the momentous decision as a plank on which the presidential election campaign can be launched. Along with this significant decision, the government is devising plans to announce certain relief measures for citizens currently experiencing hardships due to unprecedented cost of living and denial of basic living conditions due to the economic crisis.
At present, formations of political alliances are in different stages and the most significant among them is the revival of Sri Lanka People’s Front commonly known by its Sinhala name Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), the current ruling party led by Namal Rajapakse (former President Mahinda Rajapakse’s son and nephew of former President Gotabaya Rajapakse).
In the meantime, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Sri Lanka’s opposition party along led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa have also launched into action ahead of the elections organizing election campaigns at grassroots level.
Meanwhile, the JVP (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna)-led (a Marxist–Leninist communist party in Sri Lanka) and their main political alliance, the Jathika Jana Balawegaya (National People’s Power – NPP) is currently engaging in grassroots level political campaign in view of the elections with the objective of tailoring their electoral message effectively. The JVP is capitalizing on people’s widespread dissatisfaction with traditional parties promoting 75 years of post-independence bankruptcy. Although, they had anti-India campaigns including ‘Indian Expansionism’ and created a great fear regarding an ongoing threat from India to Sri Lanka, with JVP’s latest Indian visit, along with high profile engagements with top Indian leaders including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, their stance too seems to have changed.
The People’s Alliance (PA) co-led by former presidents Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Maithripala Sirisena the leader of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), do not wield electoral influence any longer is also reviving their grassroots campaigns.
