The non-participation of the Leader of the Opposition and the SJB party at the rally in Nugegoda has caused consternation as well as admiration. Was there a rationale?
Mr Premadasa had let it be known well in advance that his party would not be participating at this rally. It was also known that he did not wish for the SJB to be associated with controversial figures from the other Opposition parties, especially since many were being investigated / facing charges.
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a Marxist party, has had complex relationships with various governments and presidents. While the JVP has not had a straightforward alliance with any president, it has supported certain governments and politicians in the past. Here are some notable instances:
Chandrika Kumaratunga’s Government (2004- 2005):
The JVP joined the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government led by President Chandrika Kumaratunga, providing support and participating in the cabinet. During this period, the JVP backed the government’s war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Government (2005-2015): The JVP supported Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidential bid in 2005, which helped him secure victory. The party’s support was crucial in Rajapaksa’s election, and some analysts believe that the JVP’s backing contributed to his win.
The JVP’s relationships with these governments were often pragmatic and based on shared interests rather than ideological alignment. The party has historically been known for its radical left-wing stance and has undergone significant transformations in recent years, particularly under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who has sought to rebrand the party and appeal to a broader audience.
The point some make being that just because you quite literally share one platform making up the ‘collective’ opposition does not place in jeopardy your own principles or the ideology of your party.
On the other hand, Mr Premadasa may well have concluded that this meeting principally organised by Namal Rajapaksa, was of little consequence. Elections are so far off that he may have decided to ‘let it go’ and not want to take a chance of the voters associating his party with controversial opposition figures.
The flip side was that the post-mortem reveals that no real matters of substance were discussed and that the speakers were second tier. Many complained that the Opposition ought to have brought up the issues of the defence agreements with the USA and India, the Trinco youth incident all but forgotten while the government is trying to literally bend every possible way to appease the Tamil diaspora. Then there’s that very touchy and prickly subject, the Easter bombings of 2019. President AKD has made several promises in this regard and not one has made it to the exposure he undoubtedly wants. The Cardinal remains the literally, lone voice.
Mr Premadasa is to be admired for his resilience and sticking to his principles of not wanting to associate with controversial, if not alleged corrupt opposition members. His own party is not beyond reproach.
At the end of the day Namal Rajapaksa is stretching every point to resurrect the political fortunes of his own and that of his party, having been overwhelmingly voted against by the people. To say he is having a tough time is an under-statement. He is already under investigation and will need to address those issues if he is to survive politically.
Only time will tell if Sajith Premadasa has read the ground situation well and that by being stuck to his principles he will show that true leaders do not flinch in the face of political adversity.