Ranil-Anura Deal Revealed
‘Compas’ Shifts Strategies
Doval’s Strong Message to Tamil Parties
Namal Shifts Focus from China to India
Sajith Takes a Firm Stand in Campaign
Failed Smear Campaign by Ranil-Anura Teams: Kabir and Marikkar Targeted
Ranil Struggles with Signs of Looming Defeat
Doval’s Visit to Sri Lanka
The most significant and decisive event in the political arena last week was the sudden visit of Ajit Doval, India’s National Security Advisor, one of the most powerful positions in the Indian government. It is often said that during critical national elections in Sri Lanka, India’s opinions have a significant impact on the country’s politics. The common belief is that the candidate India supports is often the one who wins in Sri Lanka. While no one explicitly states this publicly, those familiar with political history know well that India’s influence has always been critical in shaping Sri Lanka’s political landscape.
Moreover, the upcoming presidential election in Sri Lanka is one of the most crucial, as it is the first election after the country’s economic collapse. It follows the ousting of the executive president, who came to power with the support of 6.9 million voters. Although some may claim credit for resolving the fuel and food shortages during the crisis, it was India that extended significant help by providing a $4 billion loan when Sri Lanka could not afford to import essential goods.
As a result, India’s primary interest now is to ensure that Sri Lanka elects a leader who can maintain strong relations with India and engage in beneficial diplomatic and trade deals.
The JVP’s Shift
The main candidates running in the election are well aware of this fact. Even Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of the JVP (People’s Liberation Front), which traditionally took an anti-India stance, recently visited India with party representatives. This marks a significant departure from the JVP’s earlier position, which vehemently opposed Indian intervention during the 1987 Indo-Lanka Accord and protested against India’s involvement in the provincial council system. In the late 1980s, the JVP even called for a boycott of Indian goods, including lentils.
However, recognizing the current geopolitical realities, the JVP has toned down its anti-India rhetoric, acknowledging that it is almost impossible to operate without India’s support. This was exemplified by their visit to India, signaling a pragmatic shift in the party’s approach.
Ranil’s Attempt
Current President Ranil Wickremesinghe has also tried to strengthen ties with India. Since assuming office, Wickremesinghe sought to visit India multiple times, but it only materialized after Prime Minister Modi’s recent electoral victory. He invited Modi to visit Sri Lanka, planning to announce his candidacy for the presidential election during Modi’s visit in August. However, Modi decided not to visit Sri Lanka until after the presidential election.
Namal’s Shift from China to India
The Rajapaksa family has historically been aligned with China, as seen during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency, which saw significant Chinese investments in Sri Lanka, including in projects like the Hambantota Port and Mattala Airport. However, Namal Rajapaksa, who is expected to contest in the election, has been working to establish closer ties with India. Namal has privately met with key Indian officials and attended prominent Indian events to signal a shift towards a more India-friendly stance, distancing himself from the pro-China policies of the past.
Why Sajith is Staying Back
While the other candidates are visibly engaging with India, Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has chosen not to publicly court Indian leaders. This has led to internal dissent within his party, with some urging him to meet Indian leaders and foster closer ties with India, especially after Anura visited India. However, Sajith remains calm, maintaining that he already has strong ties with Indian authorities and prefers a more reserved approach.
Why India Matters
India’s influence on Sri Lankan elections stems from its significant sway over Tamil and Muslim voters in Sri Lanka. It is widely believed that Tamil political leaders in the north and east often make their final decisions based on India’s guidance. With 1 million votes in the north, 1 million in the east, and 800,000 in the hill country, these minority votes can be decisive in a national election, and India’s influence on these voters is a crucial factor.
Meetings with Doval
Upon his arrival in Sri Lanka, Doval’s first meeting was with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa. Sources indicate that it was a productive discussion, and Doval extended an official invitation for Sajith to visit India should he win the election.
Doval’s next meeting was with President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The president sought to resolve ongoing issues related to Indian projects and agreements, promising to expedite their completion. However, it is reported that India did not show the urgency that Ranil expected, and the meeting ended without any concrete resolutions.
Following that, Doval met with Namal Rajapaksa, who expressed his willingness to work closely with India in the future.
Lastly, Doval had scheduled a meeting with Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Initially, there was an internal debate within the JVP about whether they should accept the invitation, given the negative perceptions generated by Anura’s previous visit to India. This debate reflects the party’s ongoing struggle to reconcile its historical anti-India stance with the current political realities.
However the members who insisted the meeting should go ahead felt if this did not take place a wrong perception about Anura and JVP could spread in the society and this could adversely affect the election work.
The meeting was very cordial and India maintains the stance of preserving democracy in Sri Lanka. Doval stressed India is more concerned about this because any breach of democracy in Sri Lanka could have a spillover effect on India. He stressed the need to remain in the democracy frame throughout.
Meeting with Minority Party Leaders
Following discussions with the main candidates, Doval took steps to meet with all the minority party leaders of the opposition. Accordingly, Doval engaged in discussions on political matters with Rauff Hakeem, Rishad Bathiudeen, Palani Digambaram, who represents the plantation areas, and Mano Ganesan. According to the information we have, Doval asked Hakeem, Rishad, and the other representatives which candidates were contesting the presidential race. Both Hakeem and Rishad informed Doval that the vast majority of the Muslim population, both in the North and East as well as the South, had decided to vote for Sajith, though there was considerable social media support for Anura. However, both Hakeem and Rishad assured Doval that Sajith was certain to win the election. During his meeting with Digambaram, when asked about the situation in the plantation sector, Digambaram made it clear to Doval that 90% of the population in the plantation areas had already decided to support Sajith.
Sumanthiran Becomes Critical
The next critical discussion in Doval’s visit took place afterwards. This involved meeting with representatives of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), who had yet to decide which candidate to support in the presidential election. All the parliamentarians representing the TNA in the North were invited to this meeting, with M.A. Sumanthiran, Sridharan, Adakkalanathan, and Siddharthan being part of the group. However, Mavai Senathirajah and S. Rajendran did not attend the meeting. Doval first asked the Tamil MPs how the Northern votes would be cast and why they had not supported a candidate from the South who could win. Doval also inquired why a common candidate from the North was proposed. Sumanthiran clarified that his party was entirely opposed to the idea of nominating a common candidate from the North and that this was done according to the wishes of just one group. Doval then questioned the Tamil MPs about the percentage of votes from the North. They indicated that about 8% of the total votes came from the North and that this would be a decisive factor in the election.
Can You Win with 8%?
In response to this, Doval remarked that if the 8% of votes from the North could influence the outcome of this presidential election, how it would be possible to elect a Tamil president from that 8%. He went on to say that casting those votes in this manner would be a waste for the Tamil people at this time. Sridharan, who had already expressed his support for the common candidate in the North, was present at the meeting. However, Sridharan, who arrived a bit late, informed the gathering that he had to leave early as he was set to depart for London. Siddharthan, speaking at the meeting, pointed out that no president who had come to power in recent times had taken steps to resolve the issues faced by the Northern people, which was why a group in the North decided to present a common candidate. MP Kajendran later noted that although India had taken steps to introduce the 13th Amendment, it had not supported its implementation. As a result, the 13th Amendment was deemed a failure, and Kajendran emphasized that India should intervene to make it effective. He also highlighted the need for a federal system to resolve the issues of the Tamil people, pointing out to Doval that these problems could not be solved within a unitary state framework.
Avoiding the Question
When Doval again inquired about the issue of the common candidate, Siddharthan and Adaikalanathan tried to steer the conversation towards the Northern fishing issue, avoiding the question. Sumanthiran then took the lead, explaining in detail the importance of supporting a main candidate and why his party had entered the final phase of its decision-making process. He further informed Doval that disciplinary action had been taken against Ariyanendran, the individual nominated as the common candidate, for acting against the party’s stance.
India’s Decision
After carefully listening to everyone’s views, Doval concluded by delivering a special message to the Northern MPs: “From what I understand, the Tamil leaders in the North must come together as a key force to help a Southern candidate win. That’s the only way Tamil people can benefit from this. So, ensure that the Tamil vote counts and don’t waste it.”
A Special Guest
In addition to these meetings, Doval also took steps to meet with another key figure—Basil Rajapaksa, the mastermind behind the Pohottuwa party. This exclusive meeting between the two reportedly covered a wide range of critical political matters.
The President’s Camp Shaken
Following these significant meetings, Doval left for India, but within 24 hours of his departure, a major political shift occurred. The Tamil National Alliance announced its decision to support Sajith Premadasa. After a crucial five-hour discussion on Saturday, Sumanthiran declared that the Tamil National Alliance had unanimously decided to support Sajith. This declaration caused a political upheaval, particularly for the president and his allies, who had been certain that the Tamil National Alliance would back them. The president had repeatedly assured members of both the UNP and the defectors from the Pohottuwa party that he had secured Sumanthiran’s support. However, Sumanthiran’s statement left the president and his camp in shock, especially since the Northern and Eastern votes were expected to play a decisive role in the election.
Mavai Takes a Stand
As Sajith’s camp celebrated the decision by the Tamil National Alliance, the government launched an operation to counter this victory. They quickly learned that Mavai Senathirajah, a senior member of the Tamil National Alliance, was unhappy with the decision. A prominent TV channel in the South widely publicized this, reporting that Mavai was unaware of the decision and had expressed his disapproval. UNP-aligned social media networks also amplified the report.
Secretary’s Statement
However, Tamil National Alliance Secretary P. Sathyalingam immediately issued a statement clarifying that although Mavai Senathirajah had not attended the party’s central committee meeting, he had been informed of the decision in advance. This clarification quickly put an end to the misinformation campaign launched by the government.
More Unrevealed Secrets
There are still several undisclosed details in this political saga that we intend to reveal soon. Many claims that Sajith lacks the ability to play political games, but this recent sequence of events unfolded while Sajith was travelling in the North, meeting various groups with former Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris by his side. During these visits, Sajith worked to secure the support of the Tamil National Alliance, and as soon as news of Mavai Senathirajah’s disapproval surfaced, Sajith was inundated with calls from his Southern supporters. He calmly assured everyone to stay patient and not worry about the news, advising them to wait a few more days.
Mavei’s Son Meets Sajith
Accordingly, the next morning, it was none other than Mavei Senathirajah’s son who came to the hotel where Sajith was staying. Mavei’s son took steps to have a lengthy discussion with Sajith and G.L. This news, which was not reported by any media outlet, is being revealed to the country for the first time through the “Inside politics” column. According to the information we have, Mavei’s son informed Sajith that his father made such a statement due to a misunderstanding and incorrect reporting of information. He also stated that his father had no other issues with Sajith. Mavei’s son further conveyed to both Sajith and G.L. that not only his father but he is fully committed to Sajith’s victory.
Mavei Talks to Sajith
After leaving the meeting, Mavei’s son took steps to facilitate a phone conversation between Mavei and Sajith. During this conversation, Mavei explained to Sajith that his statement was made due to a lack of proper communication between the party and himself, and assured that he fully supports the party’s position. Mavei further expressed his intention to extend his full cooperation to Sajith in the future. He even addressed the media in the North that day, stating this. As a result, the absurd rumours spread by UNP and Malima representatives about a split within the Tamil Arasu Kachchi party when it decided to support Sajith were completely dispelled within 24 hours.
In addition, during the few days spent in the North, Sajith, G.L., and various other groups held several other critical and confidential meetings. It is also reported by “Inside Politics” that several crucial phone calls took place between G.L., Sajith, and Tamil leaders. Accordingly, we responsibly state that numerous unexpected and major political upheavals are expected to be reported from the Northern and Eastern provinces as the election approaches. During the two days spent in the North, Sajith and G.L. have already prepared the groundwork for these changes.
After securing the support of the Tamil Arasu Kachchi party, Sajith’s next stop was a meeting in Mullaitivu, a former stronghold of Prabhakaran. This gathering was said to be the largest political assembly in Mullaitivu’s history, according to reports. Following this meeting, Sajith concluded his Northern tour and departed for other duties, while G.L. Peiris remained in the North for a few more days to further prepare the groundwork for more political upheavals.
Deal Exposed
Throughout this period, those representing the JVP and Malima repeatedly talked about a potential Sajith-Ranil deal or an alliance between Ranil and Sajith. They spread information through social media in an attempt to create doubt and discourage votes for Sajith. However, Sajith and SJB MPs clearly stated that they were not entering into any political deals with Ranil or the UNP under any circumstances.
Despite these rumours about a Sajith-Ranil deal from the Malima side, the real deal was actually between Ranil and Anura. This became evident in numerous instances over time, although no one openly spoke about it. It was rumoured that Anura Kumara frequently held political discussions with Ranil’s close associate, Malik Samarawickrama, at Malik’s house in Kandy. Although these rumours were not openly discussed, the JVP continued to talk about the supposed Ranil-Sajith deal with great enthusiasm.
Ranil-Anura Deal
At present, the evidence and proof of the Ranil-Anura deal have begun to emerge publicly. This started when the President openly declared that Sajith would lose, Anura would surpass Sajith, and a vote for Sajith would be equivalent to a vote for Anura, during a speech in Mahiyanganaya. Through this statement, it became clear that the President was expressing support for Anura. Furthermore, significant airtime was provided to Anura in state media, and opportunities were given for him to directly express his views. This is something unprecedented in any previous presidential election. At the same time, it became apparent that Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leaders were openly revealing the highly secret dealings between Anura and Ranil.
“Giving from One Side, Taking from the Other”
The first instance of the Ranil-Anura deal became evident through the provision of funds to opposition MPs by the government. In this case, a few opposition MPs who were favourable to the government were secretly granted financial allocations, with the hope of eventually bringing them into the government. However, after it became clear that those MPs would not join the government despite receiving the funds, the names of these MPs were suddenly leaked by representatives from Malimawa (a political faction), as they had received the list from Anura through the government.
The second instance of the Ranil-Anura deal involved accusations regarding opposition MPs receiving bar licenses. It was alleged that several MPs had received bar licenses as an incentive to join the government. Although the list of these MPs was never made public, once it was understood that the MPs in question would not join the government, the names of those who received the licenses were leaked by representatives from Malimawa. This confirmed that Anura had received the list of names from the government.
Kabir’s Land Issue
The government had high hopes that Kabir Hashim would join them, primarily due to an issue regarding his land. Kabir comes from a prominent political family in Kegalle, which has inherited vast estates. During the tenure of the previous administration, a large portion of Kabir’s land was taken over by the government through the Land Reform Commission. Legally, the Hashim family was entitled to compensation in the form of land elsewhere. During the Yahapalana government, Kabir received part of the compensation, and he had a legitimate claim to the remaining portion. Recently, when Kabir submitted a request to the government to fulfill this claim, the government attempted to leverage the request to bring him over to their side. Kabir, however, became enraged upon receiving a message implying that he would receive the land only if he joined the government. He reportedly shouted at the messenger, saying, “These are our lands, and we have a legal right to them. Don’t try to use this as a political deal with me. Go and tell them that I will never join the government.” It was thus confirmed that Kabir would not be joining the government under any circumstances.
Leaks from Malimawa
Soon after, Malimawa representative Vasantha Samarasinghe made a public statement, claiming that Kabir had submitted a letter requesting land from the government. During a press conference, Samarasinghe read out this letter, making it clear that the government had provided Malimawa with the letter out of spite due to Kabir’s refusal to join them. This further exposed the secret dealings between Anura’s faction and the government.
In addition, it was reported that a close associate of the President in Nuwara Eliya was constantly communicating with a leader of Malimawa, passing on information like, “Today Talatha is leaving SJB, and today someone else is leaving SJB.” It was also revealed that Malimawa representatives would publicly announce who was leaving the SJB based on information provided by the government.
As the presidential election battle approaches a critical stage, the pace of these secret dealings has significantly increased. This is primarily due to a final survey regarding the election, which has now been completed. The survey was conducted by a highly respected and internationally recognized institution, and its findings are expected to be presented to the relevant authorities in the first week of September. We had previously revealed that this final survey, which also includes Namal’s candidacy, would be a special one.
Here are the latest results:
According to the final results provided by the relevant institution, it is evident that Sajith is clearly in the lead at this point. Reports indicate that Anura Kumara has secured second place, following a slight rise last week. However, the gap between the two is about 7%, with Sajith leading Anura by that margin. It is also noted that Namal has garnered about 7%, and there is an observable decline in the President’s previous 15% vote share following Namal’s rise.
Leaked Video:
Last week saw a significant disturbance within the government following the release of this report. Simultaneously, Sajith and his party (SJB) launched an intense social media attack, disregarding all formalities. The primary targets were SJB MPs who had been criticizing the President and the ruling coalition. A video suddenly appeared on social media showing Marikkar and the President seated and engaged in a discussion. It was framed as if Marikkar had secretly met with Ranil, similar to a leaked video from the previous day.
Marikkar accused:
Afterwards, this video spread widely across the country, driven by social media groups aligned with the ruling coalition. Anura also seized on the video, launching a fierce public attack on Marikkar during two rallies. With Malima heavily criticizing the video of Ranil and Marikkar together, everyone started questioning Marikkar about it. He responded that this was not a secret or recent meeting, but a public discussion that took place around three months ago during the funeral of Sirinal De Mel. Marikkar mentioned that they were discussing vehicle permits for MPs and that he had requested the President to take action on the matter, stressing that there was nothing to hide. He also pointed out that the only attendees were from the Presidential Media Unit. Marikkar further stated that at the end of the conversation, the President informed him that it had been recorded, to which he smiled and said he had no issue with it. However, Marikkar noted that the part of the video where this was mentioned had been edited out.
The Deal Exposed:
Nonetheless, some parties had released the video, which received significant attention from the JVP, and even Anura responded strongly. The next day, Marikkar held a press conference to reveal the truth. He also mentioned that this incident confirmed a secret deal between Ranil and Anura. He went on to say that using a conversation at a funeral for political advantage was disgraceful and that in the future, MPs might avoid talking to the President at such events.
Gayan De Mel, the son of Sirinal De Mel, also clarified the matter the next day, issuing a media statement. Gayan said that using a public discussion at his father’s funeral to smear individuals politically was a low act and that it showed a lack of respect toward his deceased father by the ruling party. He also stated that this confirmed a clear deal between Ranil and Anura.
Harin Contacts the SJB:
Additionally, following the results of an international poll, many members of the government were thrown into disarray last week. As a result, Harin Fernando, the former MP, called Sujeewa Senasinghe, Harsha De Silva, and Kavinda Jayawardena, warning them about the JVP and urging them to ally with Ranil and Sajith.
Harin said, “Bro, it looks like the JVP is a little ahead. If we unite, we can defeat them easily.” However, all of them made it clear that there was no possibility of uniting with Ranil. Harin then contacted SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, delivering the same message about a possible alliance.
“The JVP is now leading. We need to stop them. If not, the people will reject both of us. I, along with two others, met the President and told him the situation is dangerous, and it’s better to support Sajith to stop this,” Harin told Ranjith. Madduma Bandara, laughing, responded, “Alright, alright, we’ll see about that.”
Immediately after the call ended, Ranjith called Sajith, who was attending campaign meetings in Jaffna. When Ranjith relayed Harin’s message with a smile, Sajith also laughed and said, “If we bring these crooks back, we’ll be finished. The people will kick us out.” Ranjith then commented, “It seems like they’re scared of losing now.”
‘Compass’ in another game
However, shortly after this, news was published on social media networks. That said, the President and the rest are ready to unite. It was also seen that the news was widely publicized on the social media networks of ‘compasses’. It was noted that in previous instances Anura too had given a lot of publicity to it on their political stage. Because of this, many politicians, businessmen, representatives of civil organizations and SJB seat organizers in the South kept calling Sajith and told him not to join the President and the UNP under any circumstances.
‘Sir, do not join them at any time. They have stolen the Central Bank, and they have stolen amazingly in the last two years, and now they are shamelessly coming back to join us. If we join them, we will have to eat lentils. As soon as a government comes, the first thing to do is to prosecute those who have destroyed the country in this manner, and bring them to court.” But while receiving calls continuously, Sajith came to know that certain parties are giving a lot of publicity to that story. Accordingly, Sajith immediately took steps to respond while still in the North. Accordingly, Sajith said that a ‘Sajith-Ranil’ reunion will never take place, and sometimes a Ranil-Anura reunion may happen. Sajith said that the secret transactions between the two have been exposed by now. Sajith also pointed out that this secret deal was clearly exposed when the President said that ‘Sajith cannot win, Anura will win’ in Mahiyangana.
Ranil accepts defeat
President’s statement made something else very clear. That is the President himself has admitted that he will not win at all. With that statement, it was seen how the ministers who came from Pohottuwa risked their political careers to make the president win. According to this, they are also preparing to make some serious political decisions in the future.
7 met Basil
Last Monday, we published special news on the ‘Mawrata’ website that seven members of the government met Mr Basil Rajapaksa, who is considered to be the mastermind of Pohottuwa, and held a special discussion. We do not have a daily newspaper, so we publish this special news through our column. Anyone who visits this website daily can see the special events happening in Sri Lanka’s politics that are changing hour by hour. Accordingly, we said in that news that on Sunday night, 7 members of the government met Basil. However, as we have not received much information about the matters discussed in this meeting, we are ready to bring them to the readers as soon as we get the information. However, one thing is clear about this meeting. That is, within the last few days of the presidential election, many serious political explosions are tipped to happen from the president’s election campaign. We have come to know that it will be political upheavals that no one can imagine.
Basil closes the saloon door
However, by now Basil and Pohottuwa have taken a very tough political decision. That is not to bring back all the Ministers who joined the government in the past. It is also rumoured that instead of taking all of them, Basil has planned to select only a few and bring them back into the fold.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, the United Freedom Front was formed last week for that reason. Last week, we made a special disclosure in the column and said that a special meeting of the ministers of the government was held at the ‘Araliyagaha Mandirya’ under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, where they have decided to ally to contest from the party of Mr Tiran Alas in the upcoming elections. However, last week the Dinesh-led team allied not with Tiran’s party, but with another party with the trophy symbol.
Sarath Fonseka contested the parliamentary election alone under this trophy symbol some time ago. There he could get only 28,000 votes. Dinesh allied with the ‘trophy’ sign, and Dinesh Gunawardena was named as the leader and Minister Ramesh Pathirana as the Secretary-General. But since an election has been called, it is not possible to launch new political parties or alliances and appoint office bearers in this manner, so there is a possibility that this new alliance of Dineshla may face a serious crisis in the future.
Arundika meets Sajith
Meanwhile, a few MPs discussed with Basil, and less than 24 hours later, on Tuesday, there was another breakthrough in party alliances. This is the state minister Arundika Fernando taking a seat as an independent MP in the parliament. Arundika also made a special statement in the Parliament.
Muzammil leave
Another special happening witnessed in this year’s presidential election was that the governors, who had been specified to be independent, publicly tahing off their clothes and joined the election campaign of the government’s candidate, the president. Some governors violated election laws and held public meetings for the President. Some governors gave various appointments. After receiving complaints by the Election Commission in this regard, the Election Commission had canceled all those new appointments. However, according to the information we have, all those governors who have not being will have to face a number of serious legal problems in the future due to their open politics in violation of election laws.
However, even though some governors went to the market with the president, there were two or three governors who respected the law and carried out their duties. One of them is Uva Provincial Governor A.J.M. Musammil.
Muzammil is not someone who entered politics recently, but a strong figure who has been at the forefront of the most critical junctures of politics in this country for decades. He is also a politician who worked as a close friend of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa. It was Musammil who went from Colombo to the east by helicopter to bring Mr. Ashroff from the east to Colombo. Even though Musammil went and brought Ashroff to Colombo, Ranil resigned from the post of Prime Minister without giving Gamini Dissanayake the chance to form the government and had already arranged for Chandrika to get out of the ‘Araliyagaha mansion’. If Ranil had not done that, then Gamini would have formed a UNP government again, but Ranil’s work prevented that opportunity. Therefore, Ashroff, who came from the east, went back to the east in the same helicopter, fearing that Chandrika government would be established.
The threat from above
Later, Musammil held various positions in the government. Muzammil was once the mayor of Colombo. He also served as the ambassador to Malaysia. Finally, Gota appointed Musammil as a governor. But with heavy pressure from above to engage in politics during the presidential election, it became a serious problem for Mussammil to perform his duties independently in the position of governor. Accordingly, Muzammil finally decided to support Sajith.
However, before taking this decision, Muzammil also sought legal advice. The legal advice received said that the President had no power to remove him from office. If he does so, Muzammil has the opportunity to take legal action; was the legal advice received by him. Accordingly, Muzammil took the final decision and informed Sajith of his decision. However, Sajith made only one request from Musammil. If he supports him, he should leave the post of governor and work to support him. Here, Sajith informed Musammil that no political influence would be exerted on the governors during their tenure, and they would be allowed to work independently.
Accordingly, when Muzammil was preparing his resignation letter, he received a phone call from a certain high place. It didn’t take long for Muzammil to realize that the call had a somewhat threatening tone.
We heard that you are trying to leave. But if that happens, you should be prepared to face severe consequences.’ without thinking twice, Musammil said, ‘OK, I am ready to face anything’.
Met Gota
Before sending the resignation letter to the President, Muzammil met former President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who had given him the position and informed him of this decision. Musammil also met the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Mr. Santhosh Jha and took steps to inform him about this. After that, Muzammil, who sent his resignation letter to the President, joined Sajith in his Minuwangoda meeting the same evening.
Speaking at this political rally, Muzammil also briefly described the government official who threatened him.
Threats to the north
Threats like this are not only happening in the South. In the north, threats are being made to politicians in the same way. Especially after the TNA decided to support Sajith, it is noted an increase in these threats. According to the information we have, after the TNA decided to support Sajith, the MPs of other political parties in the north are making threats in various ways to prevent them from supporting Sajith.
For this purpose, they have increasingly used the provision of issuing liquor licenses. It is reported that certain MPs in the South and the north have taken two or three liquor licenses from the government. It is also known that even the main leaders of certain parties have obtained bar licenses in this way. Accordingly, some people have informed them that if they support Sajith, the list of names of Tamil MPs who have taken bar licenses will be revealed to the people of the north. Accordingly, it is known that a large number of Tamil MPs have fallen victim to this political tragedy.
However, we say that this political game should end here. Whichever government comes to power, they should end the culture of giving bar licenses to MPs. It should also be mentioned that we are constantly standing up for it. We are also ready to publish the list of MPs without any editing for the public to know. That is because the people should know the character of the MPs they vote for.
