The First Presidential Election and Colvin’s dejection. – By Dr .Tilak S. Fernando
Among the mixed bag of collection on Nickcy Karunaratne’s exposures of masked characters of yester year in this country, especially the so-called Socialist comrades, who have been cheating and misleading the innocent public, Nicky Karunaratne found another week in 2004 April.
Well! Going by Nicky Karunarutne’s revelations that keeps on unwinding gradually and continuously, it is beginning to unravel more under for so long!
As many interesting disclosures become exposed in the future, one thing that will register in readers’ mind would be the stand taken by the patriotic Sri Lankan, who had been disillusioned at first, but his country on top of politics, as time passed by.
The second Presidential election held in 1982, was fought amongst the candidates, was fought amongst the candidates in a competitive atmosphere. They were Colvin Reginald Silva, Hector Kobbekaduwa, Kumar Ponnamblam, Rohana Wijeweera and Vasudeva Nanayakkara from the Nava Sama Samaja Party.
From the ruling party (UNP) incumbent President, J.R.Jayawardena contested; the SLFP was represented by Hector Kobbekaduwa, who did not get full backing due to the infighting undercurrent tactics existed within the party. Rohana Wijeweera (JVP), Kumar Ponnanbalam (All Ceylon Tamil Congress), Colvin R.de Silva and Vasudeva Nanayakkara from the Nava Sama Samaja Party.
Colvin Reginald Silva assumed he had a better chance of making a mark, but You are a bit late to expose such characters! However, it is better late than never! They were pretending to be the saviours of the proletariat. You may also be aware of Dr.N.M.Perera going through the share list every morning as habitual, despite his schedule! Do you know anything about the problems arose then with regard to ‘Giridara Mills?
At the end of the day, it was a total disappointment for his party supporters when he ended up with only 58,531.00 votes against J.R.Jayawardena, who scored 3,450.811 votes, Hector Kobbekaduwa managed to get only 2,548.438, Kumar Ponnanbalam 173,934 and Nanayakkara from the Nava Sama Samaja Party received only 17,005 votes.
Nicky Karunaratne was involved in Colombo district, particularly in Borella, Colombo 7, which was a unique electorate with one section of the population diluted with murder and murder in areas such as Wanathamulla, while another section of the electorate consisted of an affluent elite society, which existed of Colombo.
Wanathamulla had been converted into a ‘No go zone’ area except for UNP sympathisers. The place was infested with daring and dangerous type of ruffians of the UNP, who carried out hand bombs and swords threatening the entire neighborhood. For, Colvin, therefore, it became a non-starter, even to dream of visiting the area without Nicky Karunaratne, who was well known among the Wanathamulla down trodden population.
As an adult he had been intermingling with all levels in Wanathamulla. his best friend was Mhinda Dharmapla, the owner of Borella Wallawa, who was equally fearless and the underworld gangs known as ‘canditates’.
Nicky’s humility had earned a lot of respect in the area, which made him certain group to approach him to request him and further him to send Colvin R de Silva to the area, alone unless escorted by Nicky Karunaratne!
That helped Colvin R de Silva to canvas in Wanathamulla area with confidence by going very deep inside of Wanathamulla locale and holding ‘ garden meetings in the company of Nicky.
M.H.Mohamed (UNP), who was based in Borella also had influence over the Wanthamulla folk equally. Nicky Karunaratne was identified as the Chief Organiser of the LSSP for Borella at the time.
However, M.H. Mohomed day, prior to vote counting at Royal College premises, Nicky was allowed four comrades from the LSSP with all the necessary documents that leads to the delegation as the chief scrutiniser for the Party. The late M.H.Mohomed represented the UNP with five people, while Ragitha Senaratne represented the SLFP candidate Kobbekaduwa.
The election Ordinanance of the country strictly stipulated that only five personnel. However, M.H.Mohomed, being a minister of the Cabinet at the time had brought one extra person, which ensued an argument, following an objection raised by M.H. Mohomed alleging the minister’s government to abuse the government power!
This led to somewhat a hullabaloo, which ended up being reported to the Election Commissioner counting centre. M.H. Mohomed had to knuckle under with a lot of pressure, and according balled over by this this government challenging powerful minister at J.R. Jaywawardene Cabinet !
Subsequently, when Nicky and M.H.Mohomed became thick of fiends. When latter Tansport Department for buses and introduced a new concept for buses as a separate Department. Nicky still remembers with gratitude how Mohomed added his request and appointed Mrs. Soma Kotadeniya ( with a comment that it was not suitable for a female) as the Director of the new department.
It did not take the over responsibilities of the new Director of her new department to investigate what M.H.Mohomed had commented on prior to her appointment when the big head were in the JRJ administration. She was sent her the proverbial administrative where ‘ ‘she had nothing to do except twiddling her thumbs’!
This made her really irritated and frustrated. Then she took it personally as a punishment meted out to her by her JRJ government. Sill, Nicky Karunaratene was very happy that a LSSP member of the LSSP, his inititiave to convince the UNP minister had, and he manged to get some Koakadeniya appointed as the first of the omnibus
Seemingly, she progressed in her career and became the Commissioner of RMV Motor moto (Registrar of Motor vehicles) and late she introduced the computerised plastic driving licence in Sri Lanka by replacing the ‘book-type’ of Certificate of Competenc to drive any type of motor vehicles. Nicky Karunaratha appreciates M.H.Mohomed as a true politian gentleman a pleasing politician to regard to Party politics when he had to take some ac Respect.
“ As a politician, I (Niky) a always respect having known as an opposition political party, yet keeping his ministries as well as his residence always open for me without any security or protocols” says Nicky.`
During an assessment during the first Presidential elections in Sri shambles with the final nail in the political coffin as a political party to recon with!
This was based on the fact that stalwarts Dr. N.M.Perera got defeated to absolutely unknown candidate from Yatiyantota as much as Colvin R.de Silva lost appallingly.
As an Organiser of the. LSSP, Nicky states that the “LSSP” managed to get to get the hornet’s nest upon their own shoulders mainly due to the attitude adopted by the party ignoring the voice of the country,
They did not want to see the truth as only made hair splitting arguments to deny the due place of the destitute Sinhala Buddhist majority. 1970-1977 was the only chance they had, if at all, to serve the masses. But it came to an abrupt end by getting kicked out of the government unceremoniously
This was due to the LSSP unscrupulous henchmen who were hell bent in using every chance they had their Christian Tamil agenda to work! Even at present (in 2014) it is evident from some of the newspapers articles by various authors who tried to propergate this issue to punsish the Rajapasksa government with all dam lies with the so-called international community better known as predator nations, who think who can win the Bible in one hand and sword in the other!
Throughout history this has been the case, if others do it in a diffetent way, it becomes intolerable for others to digest.
