This is not about Anura Kumara Dissanayake. About Anura Bandaranaike, the crown prince of the Bandaranaike family. Anura was destroyed by none other than JR, nicknamed Old Fox or ‘Naki Naria’, or Sly Fox. JR considered Anura during his time to be the opposition leader. JR. Jayawardena’s biography tells the story in this manner.
‘The activities of the ‘Janawegaya’ gang, as it was known, were also criticized in the meeting that day. It was alleged that their activities were directed primarily against the principles on which the SLFP was founded. Soon ‘Sinhale’ got a new lease of life and began to launch sharp attacks on the Left in general and the ‘Janevegaya’ gang in particular.
‘J.R. saw this as an opportunity to turn this disturbing situation within the Bandaranaike family to his political advantage. JR’s delight was caused by seeing that Anura Bandaranaike’s doubts about the political aspirations of Anura Bandaranaike’s sisters and brother-in-law also arose in his opposition to their left-wing views. In early July, JR met Anura Bandaranaike at his brother-in-law Upali Wijewardene’s house. Upali Wijewardena, who was an extremely active and rich businessman, was married to the daughter of Sivali Ratwatte, one of Anura’s cousins. Sivali Ratwatte is the brother of Mrs. Bandaranaike. JR said that Anura expected this meeting. He remembered. Sivali Ratwatte also participated in this event.
The speech JR made alleging that there was a conspiracy directed against the democratic system of the island on March 06 was brought into focus in this discussion. Anura, who listened intently to JR’s speech from the guest’s gallery of the Parliament, said Many things JR said were true. Anura as well as others who participated in the discussion said that there is a conspiracy going on within the government itself to topple the government. The question also arose as to how this could be prevented. JR said that he and the opposition can do anything to warn the public about the impending danger and keep them awake, but they will not do anything that can be understood as interfering with the army. JR said in response.
Anura Bandaranaike has been warned that by entering the parliament and becoming a minister, the conspirators will be disarmed. Young Bandaranaike found this to be an attractive proposition. Although he received such advice from JR, who was a contemporary politician of his father as well as a colleague in the Council of Ministers, he did not see a way to enter the Parliament soon. JR showed that there was only one way. He pointed out that a SLFP MP could be asked to resign and the seat thus vacated could be elected in a by-election. If he does so, he pledged that the UNP will allow him to win the seat unopposed. But even though the Gampaha member who was sick was considered the only one likely to resign, he did not agree to make room for Anura Bandaranaike.
Even though JR and Anura Bandaranaike were an inseparable couple, they fell out because of the desire to strengthen the leftward movement that was evident in the government, but the two had separate agendas. We already know JR’s plan. Young Bandaranaike was keen to enter the legislature. Dudley Senanayake was 25 years old when he first entered the National Legislature in 1936. At the age of 24, the young Bandaranaike was only a year younger than him. But as it soon became clear from what happened next, their discussions did not bear fruit. JR said that if Anura Bandaranaike is presented as the SLFP candidate in the by-election for the parliamentary seat vacated by the death of the Kalawewa member of the SLFP, the UNP should not field a candidate. ‘
JR’s attempt was not successful. Prime Minister Mrs Bandaranaike did not swallow the rope that was fed to Anura. But JR did not abandon Anura. After winning the general election in 1977, J.R. said that Mrs. Bandaranaike should be removed from the leadership and Anura should take the leadership of the party and change the leftist policies of SLFP. He advised Anura. Anura said that the Sri Lanka Freedom Party should not ally with the left parties and that the SLFP suffered a crushing defeat in 1977 because it carried leftist policies. In 1980, JR abolished Ms. Bandaranaike’s civic rights to create Anura a path to the party leadership.
But the lady and Chandrika and Vijaya did not allow it. Anura eventually broke with Maithripala Senanayake, who was the Deputy Prime Minister of the Samagi Peramuna government of 1970-77. The party not only broke up but went to court against Mrs Bandaranayake. In the 1982 presidential election, Anura, who went to the lady again, indirectly helped JR to win by saying that the SLFP presidential candidate, Kobbekaduwa, was a contractor. Similarly, during the 1982 referendum, J.R. was supported under the fear that Vijaya and Chandrika’s gang would come to Parliament and seize power from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.
In 1983, when the Dravida United Liberation Front MPs including the opposition leader Amirthalingam left the parliament, Anura became the opposition leader with the blessing of JR. because of Anura’s deal, SLFP was reluctant to accept Anura as the next leader. Anura’s frequent trips to America and his relationship with Western embassies in the country caused the SLFP’s unhappiness. The Sri Lanka Freedom Party did not tolerate Anura attacking the economic policy of the 70-77 Samagi Peramuna government at every opportunity and seeing the good in it while criticizing JR’s open economic policy. Realizing that he had no place in the SLFP, Anura finally stopped at the UNP.
JR’s nephew Ranil met Anura or JVP, Anura Kumara Dissanayake when he was negotiating with JVP to overthrow Mahinda’s government in the 2008 budget. Ranil and Mangala advise Anura to abandon the racist and militaristic policy of the JVP at that time. The result was that Wimal’s party, which had a militaristic and racist policy, broke away and went to Mahinda. The relationship between Anura and Ranil was so strong that the JVP wanted to put a common candidate in the 2010 presidential election and unite with the UNP. After Fonseka’s defeat in the 2010 presidential election, Fonseka became a nuisance to Ranil because Fonseka was trying to become the leader of the opposition. In the 2010 general elections, Ranil deliberately pushed Fonseka to the JVP, fearing that Fonseka would be given the post of opposition leader, even though he wanted to seek the votes of the U.N.P. Anurala took 7 seats when Fonseka was in jail.
When Sajith’s rebellion against Ranil started after the 2010 general elections, it was Anurala who publicly attacked Sajith. They are indirectly helping Ranil. In the 2015 presidential election, when Mangala suggested JVP leader Anura’s name as the common candidate, Ranil did not oppose it because Ranil had a policy of agreeing to any candidate from any party other than Sajith or Karu from U.N.P. In the 2015 presidential election, JVP attacked Mahinda and indirectly defeated Maithripala in agreement with Ranil. After winning the presidential election, Anura was appointed to the anti-corruption committee. Anura, who agreed not to field a candidate to defeat Mahinda in 2015, comes to fight against Sajith in 2019 knowing that Ranil will work to defeat Sajith.
Lalkantha and Sunil Handunnettia said that Ranil should return to Parliament from the national list after Ranil lost in the 2020 general election and UNP lost. Anura said that Sajith does not know how to do the job of opposition leader. Ranil and Anura camped against Sajith saying that they did not get time to speak in Parliament after Ranil returned to Parliament. After the struggle, Gota escaped from the country and when the parliament chose the president, Anura, who had worked together with the UNP, did not vote for Dallas, and scribbled the vote, allowing Ranil to become the president.
J.R. Jayawardene used Anura Bandaranaike strategically in their political alliance, ultimately securing Anura the leadership of the opposition. However, the deal between Ranil and Anura Kumara Dissanayake has not yielded similar benefits for Anura.
Politically, Anura has gained little from his alliance with Ranil. This partnership has led to Anura being derogatorily nicknamed “Ratu Ali Patiya” (Red Baby Elephant). Since Ranil became president, he has effectively used Anura to his advantage, resulting in a notably subdued JVP. Over the past two years, the JVP has only organized two or three protests in Colombo against Ranil’s government, and their opposition to the postponement of elections dwindled after a single protest.
In stark contrast to the JVP’s frequent strikes during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure, they have not organized any significant strikes under Ranil’s presidency. When the entire Parliament united against the Cricket Board, the JVP was notably absent from the fight. They did not oppose the appointment of IGP Deshbandu, nor did they object to Ranil’s judicial appointments. The JVP also failed to support the Legislative Assembly in its opposition to the Attorney General’s service extension.
When no-confidence motions were brought against the government ministers, JVP avoided those motions.
The Sajith-Anura debate, organized by Ranil’s ITN, occurred without Sajith’s consent. During the 2019 presidential election, Sajith challenged Gota to a debate, but Gota did not accept the challenge. Sajith did not rush to the TV to highlight Gota’s absence with an empty chair or create a drama about it. Instead, he communicated his message to the people in Gota’s absence. Unlike ITN, ethical media organizations require the consent of both parties before organizing debates. ITN, however, is seen as biased and serving government interests, particularly against Sajith, who is considered an adversary of Ranil and the Rajapaksa family.
Ranil assured Anura that he would help him defeat Sajith, and Anura readily accepted the opportunity. Anura of the JVP has shifted his party’s policies, mirroring changes made by Anura Bandaranaike in the SLFP. The JVP no longer opposes India, the U.S., the IMF, or the privatization of government agencies. This shift reflects the liberalization policies initiated by J.R. and continued by Ranil, who built his leadership by engaging with India, the West, and the IMF. Anura now follows a similar path, suggesting that crossing Ranil’s proverbial bridge is essential for progress. The long-term consequences of Anura adopting Ranil’s strategies remain to be seen.
