Government Tactics: Unraveling the Confusion Theory
Suspicion Looms: Mahinda’s Ultimatum and Government Actions
SJB’s Vigilance: Rajitha’s Potential Move Met with Preparedness
Political Dynamics: Rajitha’s Poll Findings Prompt SJB’s Response
Cover-Up Attempts: Unveiling the Gunatilake Incident
Mahindananda vs. Gunathilaka
As the presidential election heats up, it’s natural for tensions and dissatisfaction within the government to rise among ministers and officials. Especially if the government is on the verge of collapsing, conflicts within its ranks tend to escalate and become more visible. Last week, a notable confrontation occurred within the government, involving a brawl between two MPs from the Pohottuwa Party at the President’s Secretariat. The MPs involved were former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and MP Gunathilaka Rajapaksa, both influential figures from the Kandy district.
Gunathilaka Rajapaksa and his son, Nilupul Rajapaksa, recently gained public attention after temporarily adopting monastic robes. Generally known as a peaceful and reserved individual, Gunathilaka Rajapaksa held the position of Chairman of the Development Committee for the Yatinuwara Divisional Secretariat in the Kandy District. For some time, Mahindananda Aluthgamage had been persistently requesting this position from Gunathilaka.
In response, Gunathilaka agreed to transfer the chairmanship to Mahindananda under one condition: that the development projects they proposed be adopted as it is presented. Mahindananda accepted this condition, and Gunathilaka proceeded with the transfer.
However, the issue arose when Mahindananda subsequently removed many of the suburban development projects proposed by Gunathilaka and replaced them with projects favouring his constituency. Upon learning of this, Gunathilaka confronted Mahindananda, leading to a heated argument between the two
The Conflict Begins
Against this backdrop, the ruling party MPs’ meeting commenced last Monday at the presidential secretariat, chaired by the president. Before the meeting officially started, Gunathilaka Rajapaksa confronted Mahindananda Aluthgamage about the issue, resulting in a heated exchange of words that all the ministers witnessed. Despite immediate intervention by other MPs to separate them, Mahindananda remained visibly angry, repeatedly muttering phrases like “I will take care of…” even during the group meeting. The tension was exacerbated by the fact that both MPs were seated in the same row.
After the group meeting concluded, Mahindananda approached Rajapaksa again for another conversation. Concerned MPs quickly gathered around them, sensing the potential for conflict. There are two differing accounts of what happened next. One version suggests that Mahindananda grabbed Gunathilaka Rajapaksa by the collar and pushed him several times. Another version claims that there was no physical assault and that Gunathilaka Rajapaksa simply tripped and fell in the heat of the moment. The incident is currently under police investigation, and a report will be presented to the court to determine the facts.
During the altercation, several MPs were seen recording the incident on their mobile phones, capturing Mahindananda’s evident animosity. These recordings were shared among their peers.
Amid the commotion, Gunathilaka Rajapaksa unexpectedly fell down the stairs, accompanied by Yadamini Gunawardena, the son of Prime Minister Dinesh, who also fell to the ground. Rajapaksa initially shouted that his chest hurt, causing alarm due to his recent bypass surgery, but he then began shouting that his leg was broken. He was promptly taken to the army hospital in Narahenpita.
This raised questions among the MPs, as it is standard procedure to admit accident victims to the emergency department of the Colombo National Hospital, where a statement is first given to the police station established in the emergency unit. The decision to admit Gunathilaka Rajapaksa directly to the Narahenpita Army Hospital led many to speculate that this was an attempt to avoid immediate police documentation of the incident.
Attempt to Hide the Conflict
Despite attempts to conceal the conflict from the public, the incident quickly became known due to several Pohottuwa Party members notifying others through WhatsApp messages. Within minutes, the story spread, and media outlets began reporting on the altercation, making it impossible for those involved to keep it a secret.
In response, the government initiated a high-level peace operation on Tuesday to resolve the incident. A prominent government figure visited Gunathilaka Rajapaksa at the Narahenpita Army Hospital to check on his well-being and mediate the situation. While we are aware of this person’s identity, we are withholding their name for ethical reasons. Gunathilaka Rajapaksa’s family members recognized the visit as part of a peace mission based on the suggestions made by this individual.
However, many of Rajapaksa’s friends who visited him advised treating the incident as a criminal matter and pursuing legal action against Mahindananda Aluthgamage. The MP’s anger was further fueled by the army hospital doctors’ diagnosis: Rajapaksa required surgery due to a fracture in the upper part of his right leg.
The complaint is from the son
Accordingly, on Tuesday afternoon, Gunathilaka Rajapaksa’s son Nilupul Rajapaksa filed a complaint with the Fort Police and the details of the incident came out officially. Nilupul Rajapaksa, who made a complaint against Mahindananda to the Fort Police, and made a media statement.
‘Dad has broken bones from his knee to his waist. At this time the police officers have come to take a statement from the father and they had gone to the President’s Secretariat and conducted an investigation and reported it to the court. I am strongly confident that the law will be implemented and injustice be met. There is a belief that the law will apply equally from the big man to the little man….’
Apart from this, Gunathilaka Rajapaksa also took steps to make a special statement before the media before undergoing the surgery.
The story by Gunathilaka
I have held the positions of development committee chairman in Kandy district as well as Yatinuwara Divisional Secretariat. Councilor Mahindananda requested me several times to give him the position of Chairman of the Development Committee of Yatinuvara Regional Secretariat, so I obliged to give him that position based on the promise that I would carry out the development work that I had prepared to implement without a change. After I left the position of Development Committee Chairman on the 30th, MP Mahindananda took over the position and stopped 55 million rupees development projects that I had prepared to start. It was because of my questioning about this that we had a heated conversation.
But I did not think that he would behave so low in the Presidential Secretariat, which is the highest institution of public service. That behavior is not suitable for a member of parliament or anyone. I have made a complaint to Fort Police regarding this and requested the police to take strict legal action. The police officers came and took a statement from me. I told all the information.
He stated, “I also requested the police to review the CCTV footage of the Presidential Secretariat. This will reveal who is telling the truth.” The forensic officer arrived and carried out the necessary investigations. I will not allow this incident to be covered up in any way and will take every step necessary to ensure justice is served. These challenges were met with harassment. Gunathilaka Rajapaksa further added, “I will fulfil my responsibilities to the people of Kandy as well as to the party.”
Thus, because the accusations were made directly against Mahindananda, when the media asked Mahindananda about it, Mahindananda said that there was an argument but there was no conflict. Mahindananda also told the media that the accident may have occurred due to the MP falling down the stairs during the commotion.
However, the best part of the incident was seen after that. It is the launch of a media operation that very subtly confirms the opinion that ‘I didn’t hit, I dragged and fell…’ According to that, it was also seen how a certain party had captured the media favorable to them and carried out this operation.
But now a police investigation has started regarding the incident and it is said that they have already gone to the army hospital and taken statements from Gunathilaka Rajapakse and the President’s Secretariat. Accordingly, within the next few days, the police will report the facts of the incident before the court.
Rajitha is isolated
Last week on the ‘Inside politics ‘column, it was reported that SJB MP Rajitha Senaratne is preparing to join the government on Tuesday. First, this news was reported on pro-government websites. While following up on that, there were reports that a very secret discussion between Rajitha and the President had taken place during that week, where the President informed Rajitha to arrange a cross-over to the government with SJB MPs, and accordingly, Rajitha is ready to join the government.
Generally, Rajitha is considered a character who talks about any event with exaggeration. Many people think that Rajitha is exaggerating whether he talks about past political events or current political events. Rajitha had informed the authorities of the government that he had more than 20 SJB MPs with him during the negotiations with the government. It was also said that this group is ready to join the government with them at any moment. The government has been bragging saying that 20 to 30 will come from SJB and the government swallowed the ropes given by Rajitha. But none of the SJB MPs decided to join the government.
In the end, Rajitha thought that Gampaha SJB MP Ajith Mannapperuma would join the government with him. But Ajith Mannapperuma held a press conference last week and said that he is not crazy to leave the party and join the government regardless of his friendship with the president. Accordingly, Rajitha had planned to join the government on the 4th with a few people, but after Mannapperuma’s press conference, his plan of joining the government effort completely collapsed.
At the same time, the opinion regarding Rajitha within the government could be seen to have risen strongly with this incident. Until now, the government’s opinion was that Rajitha should be included in the government only if a group of around 20 others come along with Rajitha. It was further read in those opinions that if Rajitha takes the government on his own, the people’s displeasure will be directed at the government, and more than that, it is an advantage for the government to keep Rajitha in the party, and it is an advantage for the party to save Rajitha from the party. Accordingly, the government had decided to give up taking only Rajitha into the government at the last minute.
Rajitha’s Move
News that Rajitha was considering joining the government on the 4th had reached the leaders of the SJB (Samagi Jana Balawegaya), prompting them to prepare for this possibility. When Parliament convened on Tuesday, the SJB arrived with a strategic plan, ready to respond if Rajitha switched sides. They had planned speeches and a social media campaign to address and potentially capitalize on the situation.
On Tuesday, Rajitha attended Parliament and sat with the SJB members. While his interactions with them were somewhat limited, he did share an interesting piece of information. Rajitha discussed the results of several opinion polls purportedly obtained from various sources, engaging the SJB members in conversation about these findings.
Rajitha’s Poll
Rajitha shared intriguing information with the SJB members, mentioning the results of a poll conducted in India and weekly intelligence service polls. According to these polls, Sajith had 23%, Anurata had 21%, and Ranil had 19%. Rajitha emphasized that to win the presidential election, a coalition between Ranil and Sajith was necessary.
As Rajitha discussed these findings with the MPs, one of the young, talkative SJB members jokingly requested a copy of both the Indian poll and the intelligence services’ survey. Rajitha responded, “Okay, okay, I’ll show you.” Subsequently, the MPs informed Sajith about Rajitha’s remarks, but Sajith did not respond.
Mahinda’s Ultimatum and Suspicion
Last week, in our ‘Inside Politics’ column, we revealed special news about Mahinda’s ultimatum to the President. Mahinda informed the President that July 15 was the final deadline to fulfil his promises, including bringing the 25 MPs he claimed he could secure for the government. Additionally, Mahinda urged Ranil to dissolve Parliament immediately and call for a general election. To facilitate communication, two representatives were appointed to relay messages between the President and Mahinda over the past few weeks. Although we have not yet disclosed the identities of these messengers, we plan to reveal them in the future through this column.
Recently, Mahinda’s side received a special message from the President’s camp, indicating the President’s agreement to dissolve Parliament and hold a general election before the presidential election. However, no specific date was mentioned. Mahinda’s team was skeptical of this message. Mahinda himself expressed disbelief, stating, “I don’t believe that. They are sending us that message to delay the work until July 15…”
Basil, another key figure on Mahinda’s side, also distrusted the message from the government. He believed it was a tactic by the President to stall and delay the deadline set by Mahinda.
Confusion Theory
In addition to Mahinda’s scepticism, Basil’s distrust was further confirmed by the government’s use of the “confuse” theory, a tactic to create uncertainty and doubt in the public mind. As we reported last week, the government released several news stories that contributed to this confusion. One such story suggested that the government planned to pass an interim standard account to hold a general election after the presidential election. Another story claimed that the President had called a meeting at Sirikothe, instructing the party to prepare for elections and filling many vacant posts.
Meanwhile, our ‘Inside Politics’ column has learned of a significant discussion between Basil Rajapaksa and the President last week. During this meeting, Basil strongly pressured the President to dissolve Parliament immediately.
Previously, we reported that Kanchana Wijesekera, a prominent government minister, had planned a rally in Matara on the 16th, with Ranil as the chief guest. We highlighted how Pohottu (the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party) had urged Matara organizers to boycott the event. In response, Kanchana clarified that it was not Ranil’s meeting but a gathering organized by government ministers.
However, the situation has since evolved. As of last week, the event in Matara has been rebranded from a political rally to a ceremony for distributing land deeds to landless people in the Galle district, indicating a shift in focus away from political campaigning.
What Happened to Gamini Happened to Sajith?
Recent media reports indicate that the Bribery Commission has initiated an investigation into Mr. Sajith Premadasa, the presidential candidate for the SJB (Samagi Jana Balawegaya). The commission has requested the speaker to provide statements of assets and liabilities that Sajith submitted to Parliament between 2015 and 2019. This situation has reminded many of a similar incident that occurred 30 years ago in 1994.
Back in 1994, the then-government launched a Bribery Commission investigation against Mr. Gamini Dissanayake, who was the UNP (United National Party) presidential candidate. Initially, the Chandrika Podhu Peramuna government, which had won the general election, expected Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe to be their rival. However, to their surprise, Gamini Dissanayake secured the UNP candidacy, posing a significant threat to Chandrika’s victory prospects. In response, Chandrika’s government conducted numerous low-level operations and false smear campaigns against Gamini. One such campaign involved a fabricated complaint to the Bribery Commission, accusing Gamini of selling a government vehicle. Although this complaint was later dismissed, Gamini was tragically killed in a Tiger bomb attack before he could clear his name.
The smear campaign against Gamini Dissanayake in 1994 has striking parallels to the recent complaint against Sajith Premadasa in 2024. This complaint has stirred memories of the past, suggesting a pattern of politically motivated attacks through the Bribery Commission.
Additionally, another complaint was recently brought before Judge Manjula Ratnayake, alleging that the Secretary General of SJB had erred in appointing Mrs. Diana Gamage, who is confirmed to be a British citizen, from the national list. This complaint was filed with the Criminal Investigation Department by Y.G. Saman Nishantha.
Amid these developments, Sajith received a phone call from a highly influential government figure. During the call, this powerful individual informed Sajith about the government’s plans against him, advising him to be cautious and prepared for targeted attacks. The conversation also included an extensive discussion about the current political climate.
These incidents highlight the recurring theme of political manoeuvring and smear campaigns in Sri Lanka’s election history, reflecting a broader strategy to undermine strong presidential candidates through legal and political channels.
Bud’s Decision
Last week, the government passed the controversial Electricity Act with court-mandated amendments. Additionally, the government announced plans to pass another contentious bill, the Economic Transformation Act, in the near future. However, during several rounds of discussions within the Pohottuwa Party last week, it was concluded that passing the Economic Transformation Act would spell the end of Pohottuwa’s political relevance. The Act was deemed highly dangerous, prompting serious deliberations on how to respond if it is presented to Parliament.
One of the primary suggestions was for Pohottuwa to oppose the bill as a unified party. The strategy involves a phased approach to joining the opposition. In the initial phase, a significant group of Pohottuwa councillors would move to the opposition benches when the Economic Transformation Act is tabled in Parliament. According to our sources, Pohottuwa has decided to implement this in two steps.
The first step involves taking their seats with the opposition when the Economic Transformation Act is presented. The second step is to join the broader opposition coalition at the moment of announcing the Pohottuwa presidential candidate. This move is planned to take place exactly 45 days before the presidential election, as revealed by our ‘Inside Politics’ column.
Anura’s Bus Controversy
The political arena has recently been buzzing with talk about buses, primarily due to the opposition leader Mr Sajith Premadasa’s ‘Sakwala’ program, which involves providing, buses to schools severely criticised by the JVP’s (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna). The JVP, which refers to him as a “bus divider,” believes that anyone can implement such a program. This issue is reminiscent of the JVP’s past attacks on former President Mahinda Rajapaksa for using buses adorned with his image during election campaigns.
Ironically, the JVP now faces its bus-related controversy. On Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to London on the 16th, the overseas Sinhalese diaspora supporting the JVP spent significant amounts of money to decorate London buses with Anura’s image. Despite the JVP’s intention to use this as a publicity stunt for the London meeting, it backfired dramatically on social media. Critics pointed out the hypocrisy of the JVP, which had previously condemned Mahinda for similar actions, and argued that the money spent on decorating buses could have been better used to provide computers to needy children in Sri Lanka.
In response to the backlash, JVP social media activists attempted to claim that the decorated buses in London were AI-generated images. However, this assertion was quickly debunked, further intensifying the criticism.
The JVP faced additional challenges last week. During the first match of the T20 World Cup between Sri Lanka and South Africa, ‘Compass’ supporters displayed posters with Anura Kumara’s image, which drew widespread criticism as politics is typically kept out of sports. Following Sri Lanka’s defeat, Anura’s Facebook post congratulating the team was met with harsh responses, with many blaming his well-wishes for the loss.
Furthermore, a statement by Sunil Handunnetti, head of the JVP Economic Committee, also sparked controversy. Handunnetti labeled Tesla CEO Elon Musk as an “economic killer,” a comment that was met with significant backlash, prompting Handunnetti to issue an apology.
These incidents highlight the JVP’s struggles with public perception and the challenges of navigating political messaging in the digital age.
Ranil’s Party
Amid the current flurry of political alliances and gatherings, one notable event stood out last Thursday night at the Water’s Edge Hotel. Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, known for his event-organizing skills, had orchestrated a grand party, akin to the super party he had arranged previously for the President at the same venue. However, this time, due to his sudden departure abroad, the final organizational duties were entrusted to another prominent figure in the Pohottuwa cabinet, Kanchana Wijesekera.
The guest list comprised the entire back row of Pohottuwa MPs, who came together to show their support for the President. With the parliamentary week coming to a close, it was a rare occasion to see all these MPs gathered in one place. The ambiance was filled with lively music and an array of beverages, including top-quality single malt whisky.
Although the President arrived at the party later than expected, his delay was attributed to his visit to the Army Hospital to check on the recovery of Pohottu MP Gunathilaka Rajapaksa, who reportedly sustained injuries in a recent altercation. Upon his arrival, the atmosphere was already charged with the enthusiasm of the MPs, who were enjoying their drinks. After some persuasion from the Pohottu MPs, the President even indulged in a glass of single malt whisky himself.
Following the initial festivities, the President convened a special discussion with the MPs in a private room within the Water’s Edge Hotel, further solidifying the camaraderie among party members.
Dallas Joins Sajith’s discussion
While the government was holding various discussions with parties, another special discussion was held in the parliament last Tuesday. It was held under the chairmanship of opposition leader Mr. Sajith Premadasa. Sajith had taken steps to invite all the party leaders of the Samagi Jana Sanandha. Sajith had already been informed that Hakeem and Digambaram could not participate due to being out of Colombo. Mano Ganesan, Rishad Badiuddin, G.L. Peiris and others participated.
Here, a special guest who had not participated in the discussions of the Samagi People’s Alliance was also seen sitting at the main table. That guest is none other than Mr Dallas Alahapperuma, a head of the Freedom Janata Sabha. In this very friendly discussion, it was seen how Dallas presented several special points regarding the upcoming political affairs.
