Sri Lanka Presidential Election Trivia in Birthdays & Numeric’s.

Day of the Presidential election is 8^th of January – That was the day Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranayake was Born!

 Maithripala Sirisena’s birthday happens to be 3^rd of September 1951 & Sri Lanka Freedom Party was promulgated on 3^rd of September 1951!

Who is going to be the lucky one MR or MS!!!! 

"අද ශ්‍රීලනිපයේ, හෙට නොඉන්නත් පුළුවන්"

From NETH FM

තමන් ඉදිරියේදීත් රට වෙනුවෙන් මීටත් වඩා සේවය කිරීමට කැප වන බවත් වසර 5කට වැඩි කාලයක් සෞඛ්‍ය ආමත්‍යවරයා ලෙස සේවය කල බවත සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍ය මෛත්‍රීපාල සිරිසේන මහතා බත්තරමුල්ලේ පැවති උත්සවයේදී සභාව අමතමින් ප්‍රකාශ කොට තිබේ. 

"සෞඛ්‍ය ඇමතිවරයා විදිහට අවුරුදු පහකට ආසන්න කාලයක් වැඩකරපු මම ඉතාමත්ම සතුටු වෙනවා ඔබත් සමග මේ අවස්ථාවේ එක්වන්නට ලැබීම පිළිබඳව. ඒක නිසා විශේෂයෙන්ම ඔබ සමග එක්වූ මේ කාල සීමාව තුළ ඔබ සමග සතුටට පත් වෙලා විශේෂයෙන්ම ඔබේ අනාගතය වෙනුවෙන් විශේෂයෙන්ම ඔබේත් මගේත් රට වෙනුවෙන් ඔබ වෙනුවෙන් මම හැමවිටම අද දවසේ වගේම ඉදිරියට අනාගතයේදීත් මීටත් වඩා ඔබට සේවය කිරීමට කැපවෙනවා...මම දැනට ආණ්ඩුවෙන් යන්න තවම තීරණය කරලා නැහැ...නමුත් ඒක ඕන මොහතක වෙනස් වෙන්න පුළුවන්..."

එහිදී වැඩිදුරටත් අදහස් කළ සෞඛ්‍ය ඇමතිවරයා කියා ඇත්තේ තමා දැනට ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂයේ සිටියත් ඕනෑම මොහතකදී එය වෙනස් විය හැකි බවත් මෙවැනි පත්වීම් බෙදා දෙන අවසාන උත්සවය මෙය බවත් යනුවෙනි. 

UNP Gives Unanimous Approval For Common Candidate: Maithri Hints At Resignation

From Asian Mirror

United National Party Parliamentary Group unanimously gave its approval to the Party Leader, a short while ago, to proceed with a common candidate at the upcoming Presidential Election.

Amidst speculations that UPFA Minister and SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena will crossover to the United National Party the G 20 committee and the parliamentary group of the UNP held a special meeting today to make a decision on the UNP’s in the Presidential Election 2015.

 

UNP MP Harsha de silva said for the first time in his four year long parliamentary career, he was seeing so many smiling faces at the parliamentary group meeting.

 

Meanwhile, addressing a state fuction at Janakala Knedraya in Battaramulla, Minister Maithripala Sirisena hinted at his possible crossover. 

 

"Having served as the Minister of Health for nearly five years, I am determined to serve the country with greater commitment," the Minister said. 

 

'Tomorrow, my decisions may take a different turn," he added alluding to claims of a possible crossover. "I am still a SLFPer and that can change at any moment. This could be my last state function as a Minister," the SLFP General Secretary stated. 

Profile of Maithripala Sirisena

Pallewatte Gamaralalage Maithripala Yapa Sirisena (born 3 September 1951) commonly known as Maithripala Sirisena (Sinhala: මෛත්‍රීපාල සිරිසේන) is a member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka. He joined mainstream politics in 1989 and has held several ministries since 1994. He is also the Cabinet Minister for Agricultural Development & Agrarian Services Development and the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. He escaped an assassination attempt carried out by a suicide cadre of the LTTE in 2008.

Sirisena was born on 3 September 1951. He was educated at Royal College, Polonnaruwa. He has studied agriculture from the School of Agriculture in Kundasale. He has also worked as a Grama Sevaka. Sirisena was jailed after the 1971 JVP Insurrection, although he was not involved in it.

Sirisena joined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party 1979 as the secretary of its district organization. He became the president of the All Island Sri Lanka Freedom Party Youth Organization. In 1989, Sirisena contested for the general elections from the Polonnaruwa District and became a member of the parliament. In the general elections of 1994, he obtained the highest number of preferential votes. After this, he was made the Deputy Minister for Irrigation and Mahaweli Development.

Sirisena was elected to be the Secretary General of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. In 1994, he was appointed the Minister for River Basin Development and Rajarata Development, a newly created Ministry. He is served as the Cabinet Minister for Agricultural Development and Agrarian Services Development  subsequently & presently he is the Minister of Health.

On 9 October 2008 a suicide bomb attack was carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam targeting Sirisena at Katuwawala, Piliyandala. The attack was carried out when the convoy carrying the minister was passing by but missed his vehicle. Although Sirisena escaped unhurt 7 others were injured and 1 killed.

Certain media organisation & opposition politicians were very critical of him on the question of his brother Dudley Sirisena’s meteoric rise as a businessman involved in Rice milling & hotel trade. Also he was involved in a controversy involving his son & DIG Ravi Vidyalankara’s son on the beaches of Batticloa.  

In contrast to the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse, Mr Sirisena could be more akin to former President Ranasinghe Premadasa in his rise in the SLFP hierarchy. 

(With input from Wikipedia)

Following Biography details extracted from Ministry of Health website.

• Constituency Polonnaruwa District
• Party Name Sri Lanka Freedom Party(SLFP)
• Date of Birth 03.09.1951
• Marital Status Married
• Spuse’s name Ms.Jayanthi Pushpa Kumari
• Children 2 Daughters, and one son
• Religion Buddhist
• Permanent Address #6,1st Lane, New Town, Polonnaruwa
• Education 1955 Primary education at Laxuyana School(BOP-292) Polonnaruwa
• Excelled in aesthetic studies (singing, dancing, art & cultural activities).
• 1973 Diploma in Agriculture
• Sri Lanka School of Agriculture, Kundasale
• 1980 Diploma in Political Science, Maxim Gorky Academy Russia
• Profession Agriculturist
• Position Held 1967 Secretary, SLFP Youth Organization Polonnaruwa Electorate
• 1977 Secretary, SLFP Central Committee, Polonnaruwa
• 1978 Attended International Youth Congress held in Cuba
• 1980 District Secretary, SLFP, Polonnaruwa
• 1982 Treasurer, All Island SLFP Youth Organization Polonnaruwa Electorate
• 1982 President, All Island SLFP Youth Organization
• 1982 Member, SLFP, Politburo
• 1989-02-15 Elected to 9th Parliment – Polonnaruwa Electorate
• 1994 Elected to 10th Parliment – Deputy Minister of Lrrigation
• Assistant Secretary, SLFP 1997
• 1997 Cabinet Minister of Mahaweli Development
• 2000 Vice Chairmen, SLFP
• 2000 Elected to 11th Parliament – (Cabinet Minister of Mahaweli Development and Parliamentary Affairs)
• Escaped LTTE suicide bomb attack in Dimbulagala
• 2001 Elected to 12th Parliment
• 2004 Elected to 13th Parliment
• Cabinet Minister of Mahaweli, River Basin & Rajarata Development. And Leader of the House of Parliament
• General Secretary, SLFP
• Cabinet Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Mahaweli Development and Minister of Environment & Natural Resources
• Escaped LTTE suicide bomb at Welikanda
• 2007 Cabinet Minister of Agricultural Development & Agrarian Services Development to Date
• Escaped LTTE suicide bomb at Boralesgamuwa when returning after ‘Wap Magula’ ceremony in Horana
• 2008/2009 A stunning contribution to country’s Agriculture
• 2007 Development with the launching of ‘Api Wawamu’
• Rata Nagamu’ Programme

Maithripala Consolidates His Position As Common Candidate! Important Move Due After UNP Meeting : EXCLUSIVE

From Asian Mirror

Multiple sources from the government and the opposition confirmed Asian Mirror on Thursday that Health Minister and SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena has consolidated his position as the common candidate of the opposition.

Political sources added that Sirisena, who is one of the senior-most members of the ruling party, is likely to make a drastic move on Friday.

The UNP Working Committee is scheduled to meet on Friday evening at the party headquarters and an important decision is likely to be made following the meeting.

All efforts of the ruling party to retain its General Secretary have not produced desired results. On Friday evening, Sirisena informed his “contacts” in the main opposition camp that his crossover was certain.

“There are some in the UNP who still greet the news of Maithripala’s crossover with a modicum of suspicion. But many believe it is just a matter of time. He will certainly crossover to the opposition within the next few days unless there is a last minute change. Many opposition Parliamentarians consider him as a potential common candidate of the opposition vis-à-vis the candidature of President Mahinda Rajapaksa,” a senior Parliamentarian of the United National Party told Asian Mirror on Thursday night.

According to him, Minister Sirisena and his supporters, nearly around 15 ruling party Parliamentarians, will act as a breakaway group of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, without joining the UNP. He also added that several other political parties of the opposition too have expressed willingness to enter into an agreement with Minister Sirisena.

As exclusively reported by Asian Mirror yesterday, Sirisena was offered the post of Prime Minister yesterday as a last minute attempt to prevent him from joining the opposition. However, Sirisena declined to accept the government’s offer.

All our efforts to contact Minister Sirisena on Thursday, did not bear fruit. 

27 to quit govt. with Maithri ????

At the United National Party (UNP) working committee meeting tomorrow (Nov 21) it is to be decided whether UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe or Minister Maithripala Sirisena is to be fielded as the 'common candidate' at the upcoming presidential election.

If Minister Maithripala Sirisena is to be fielded as the common candidate, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) have agreed to extend their support, reports say.

According to UNP internal sources, the contesting of the presidential election by a common front and under a common symbol is to be confirmed at the UNP WC meeting tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Minister Wimal Weerwansa's 'Lanka C News' website reports that Minister Maithripala Sirisena and 20 other Ministers have informed that they would work towards the defeat of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. As we learn around 27-28 ministers with Minister Maithripala Sirisena will cross over to the opposition at the first stage. According to the source it would be 65 ministers in various stages.

How JVP`s independent nominee lead Mahinda`s win - Robinhood

Mahinda has now stepped in to the presidential battle for the third time with his rising authoritarian power. Though the presidential election has not formally notified few posters a day is being pasted in the walls of Colombo. Wimal Weerawansa who got an unimaginable defeat has rushed to the temple tress to render his support to the regime chief. Thondaman too has told that he would be giving his support to Mahinda. Leading nationalistic party leaders (Jaathi Hithaishee) such as Gunadasa Amarasekara, Bengamuwe Nalaka has given their consent to Mahinda Rajapaksa and Athuruliye Rathna has discharged his anger. Muruththatuwe ananda has taken his nurses and gone to the temple trees to start his refectory for the elections.

Maithree Gunarathna who is an eminent Sajith patron who was supposed to be the UNP General Secretary during a media communiqué made an opportunity to praise the attributes of Mahinda who ended the 30 year old war by criticizing the opposition leader Ranil Wicramasinhe. I wish to render my sincere benevolence to Maithree Gunarathna for exposing his open nudity for standing in support for his master when The UNP deputy general secretary Akila Viraj during a debate in the TV once told that the Rajapaksa`s are an undiplomatic and unqualified set of goons.

Various political forces have now started to polarize for the upcoming presidential elections. Though Ven Athuruliye Rathna has given oaths to defeat Mahinda in the presence of his leaders of Hela Ururumaya, Champika Ranawaka during the annual convention of the Hela urumaya implied that they would render their support to their old master after a bargain.

The Tamil National Alliance who is another major force of the main two parties has said that they would render their support to the opposition candidate who would abolish the post of executive presidency. There is credible news that few ministers of the regime are reported to join the opposition. There are productive discussions carried forward between the main opposition and other political parties, civil society groups, trade unions to reach for a common consensus before the elections. Already signs have shown that this coming president election is going to be a massive campaign of protecting or removal of the Rajapaksa regime in power. The Rajapaksa`s has started to appropriate ministers for monetary value. A provincial council minister is auctioned for Rs. 30 million and a parliamentary minister would be bought for Rs. 100 million. This coming election can be the most corrupt and abusive elections in the future. Under this context it is important to look at the activities and the behaviours of the main political parties.

One of the main parties in the opposition who can make a greater impact in the election campaign, the role of the JVP is seems to be uncertain at this time. JVP became the sole propagandist to carry out the argument that Mahinda cannot contest for the third time. With the existing legal and constitutional provisions it was the JVP who brought a strong argument that Mahinda cannot contest for a third successive term. At this time the lawyers committee and the former chief justice should take the necessary steps to challenge president Rajapaksa preventing him to contest for a third term. The chairman of the lawyers collective Upul Jayasooriya too has made his inquires from international legal experts and given an official notice. According to him the 18th amendment bill passed is affected only for the future amendments and not to the past, therefore Mahinda is not eligible to contest for a third term. However what is significance here is that this slogan only has an interim importance. If the Supreme Court gives a verdict in favour of Mahinda there is no validity for any political party to carry this forward.

By the way Mahinda is not giving much consideration for this chaotic legal controversy. He is aware that this legal hurdle can be easily passed. Mahinda has a very good rapport with Mohan Pieris & Co. Mohan Pieris who made a trip with the gang of Sajin Vaas at the Vatican has an innumerable pleasure, by now would have made a readymade verdict for this legal inefficacy. There is no doubt the person accountable for the state for the desired case that is the Elections Commissioner too has been given the required instruction. The Elections Commissioner who is trying his best to show his independency too would oblige these instructions up to date. By the way it is impossible to shake Mahinda`s agenda and his roadmap through a legal procedure. When Mohan Pieris & Company changes the ineligibility of the Rajapaksa, the Rajapaksa would become illegible to contest from which the inability to contest for a third term cannot be taken forward. Following this there is no legal provision available to challenge a verdict given by the Supreme Court.

The true challenge rises once Mahinda jumps this legal hurdle. We have to wait and see what decisions the JVP would plan to take when the Supreme Court gives its verdict that Mahinada could contest for a third term.

Before this controversy came to the platform, JVP made certain statements favoring the regime. Lalkantha once told that their party would go for an alternative mechanism against Mahinda and Ranil. Anura Kumara said abolishing the executive presidency is one of the core factors in the future and the JVP would wholly appear on behalf of a change in the current system. Lalakantha said there is no more a common candidate agenda once Ranil is enters the confrontation. Besides this the breakaway faction of the JVP, the Peratugami party too had a division from the mainstream opposition trying to represent a different candidate, where that decision would make an impact for the JVP. Meanwhile it is reported the JVP is not patronizing its interest to any of this discussions conducted by the mainstream opposition`s joint mechanism structure. But we can make few assumptions of the JVP`s agenda.

• Placing an alternative candidate against Mahinda and Ranil
• Placing a candidate from the JVP
• Boycotting the election stating that it is unlawful

What happens if a third candidate is placed?
Placing a third candidate thereby helping Mahinda indirectly is a great favor committed by JVP during this election. Mahinda needs an election with more candidates thereby creating conflicts among opposition parties. In the coming elections along with the government in power there would be a maximum abuse of power used by the ruling regime. We have already seen a trailer in Monaragala during the UVA elections. If contested separate it would be very difficult to face the abuse of power and the small parties would become a victim of the government lead goons and terror. A trust can only be rebuilt among anti government forces, if contested under an alliance. Therefore if JVP is going to place a third candidate it would be indirectly executing the most fundamental desire for Mahinda. On this context if Mahinda wins his third term, the JVP cannot escape from accusations for betraying the people interest as a whole.

If JVP decides to contest independently it would be difficult for them to retain their 5% vote bank. If contested a group would cast their vote for the mainstream parties. If it is so JVP`s full and total strength would be exposed which would be a disadvantage for them in future.

What happens if JVP boycotts.
We have two such experiences of boycotting elections in the past. First is the election in 1988 where Premadasa and sirimavo Bandaranaike contested and the second in 2005 when Mahinda and Ranil contested. First one was boycotted by the JVP and the second by the LTTE. On this two occasions extreme violence was exercised and in both occasions physical injuries were caused to the people who casted the ballot. What is important here is the disadvantage of this boycott is suffered only by the opposition. On the other side the advantages of these total boycotts were enjoyed by the ruling party candidates once it was Premadasa and second it was Mahinda. In 1988 the boycott was strongly implemented in many areas dominated by the opposition candidate and in 2005 a total province possessed by the opposition was boycotted. On this context if any political party try to boycott the coming election Mahinda would cleverly manage the boycott and gain the advantage of the non casted votes. Mahinda would create violence in opposition dominated areas, prevent them from voting, credit the votes to his account and debit the violence to the opposition representatives in polling booths. He would identify opposition supporters and chase them from casting the votes, collect polling cards, He would deploy his thugs and goons to prevent opposition supporters voting, attack and assault opposition supporters and even don’t hesitate to kill.

Whoever boycotts the election should bear in mind following coming to power with the support of the boycott both the presidents, mass murdered the boycotters. Both Prabakaran and Wijeweera has compensated with their lives

JVP has a historical milestone.
If the opposition candidate wins the election it would not be a win by a single party but a result of a joint exercise of the whole opposition. Upon this obligation and accountability, after defeating Mahinda the democratic space created can be used to create good governance in the country. Within this space, important democratic provisions such as abolishing the executive presidency, implementing the independent commissions, changing the election system, certifying the right to information can be established. JVP who always raise their voice in support of these rights has a special role to play in this event.

If Mahinda wins this election it would be definite that the country would be dragged to an authoritarian regime denying the simple and basic democratic rights of the citizens. This was confirmed, how UNP MP Ranajan Ramanayake faced violence when he tried to criticize the president in the private TV channel and how UNP MP Harin Fernando was bitten by Dayasiri Jayasekara. If Mahinda wins a situation would arise, anybody would be taken out of their house if he criticizes the Rajapaksas.

Therefore, JVP has two choices; one is to be a partner and favour Mahinda thereby further drag the country into chaotic abyss or to be a shareholder for the historic role, help to establish the basic democratic provisions behalf of the deprived people.

Robinhood
Defending the rights of all Sri Lankans.

Conspiracies upon Conspiracies - Beneficiary Incumbent President????

Ceylon Today November 07th 2014

Ceylon Today November 06th 2014

Looking at the above two front pages of Ceylon Today on 06^th & 07^th  November I find it very difficult to believe that these articles are not done without certain mischievous agenda’s. Also these types of sensational journalism reminds me of the famous Sun newspaper of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire in UK. Newspapers are trying to dictate what government or what person should run the country. Even the government controlled media like The Daily News with Rajpal Abeynayake at helm would not sink this low. Also aiding & abetting in this bid by Ceylon Today is Sirasa Newsfirst. See below:

  

It is quite obvious who is going to benefit with this manipulated in fighting within the UNP. They say ‘Cometh the hour, cometh the man.’ . Hopefully this type of manipulation will not effect choosing of the genuine contender to fight the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse. Hope we have a clean election & a genuine winner. (Dream on!!! Pigs might fly!!!)