‘A thorn-crowned prince in a pit said I was a lad selling ‘Lavariya’lived in Kehelwatte. I told him that I was ‘Lavariaya’ seller boy from Kehelwatte. It was my luck that I got to sell Lavaria in Kehelwatte. I am proud of that. I would like to tell that prince that one day I will raze that prince’s palace to the ground in Attanagalla and build a ‘Uda gama’ there and bring people who live in the slums whom they consider inferior and settle them in that ‘Udagama’…’
This speech was delivered by none other than Ranasinghe Premadasa in Colombo Central.
Ranasinghe Premadasa, who was referred as the ‘Lavaria Wikka Kolla’ of Kehelwatte, by the crown prince of the Bandaranaike, was at a time used to hang around the party headquarters of U.N.P.in Kollupitiya. One day Premadasa had the opportunity to speak for five minutes in a UNP meeting n Kehelwatte. The meeting was attended by the then U.N.P. leader Dudley Senanayake and JR.
‘Who is this young man? Talking well to impress the crowd like left speakers, we lack good speakers. Get him and develop him. It will be useful for our party…’
Dudley whispered into JR’s ear. After that, Premadasa had to go around the country to make speeches. From there, he made strides to the Colombo Municipal Council. But the UNP refused to give him an electorate. During this time, the U.N.P could not find a candidate to compete with NM in the Ruwanwella constituency.
Give me Ruwanwella. I will battle with N.M….’
Premadasa went to Ruwanwella and competed with NM. Premadasa gave a good fight but NM won. Kurunduwatta UNP leaders who wear European dress happily watched Premadasa battling it out with N.M. over a drink of drink champagne.
The man is a performer. Let’s put the man in Colombo central…’
Kurunduwatte U.N.P. leaders met and decided. That’s how Premadasa’s political journey began. He became the prime minister. Later became president. After becoming President, Gampaha District U.N.P. Organizer Duncan Fernando and U.N.P. General Secretary and State Minister Defense Ranjan Wijeratne joined together and put up posters with Sajith’s photos all over the country to bring Premadasa’s son Sajith Premadasa into politics as the chief guest of a meeting. In the morning, Premadasa came to know about the poster. Premadasa was furious. He called Duncan and Ranjan Wijeratne and scolded them.
‘If my son wants to enter politics, he should come through hard work. He cannot do politics with the power of my presidency….’
Premadasa said that and sacked Duncan from the Gampaha party organizer position with immediate effect. The meeting was stopped even after the posters were put up and all arrangements were made.
Sajith Premadasa, son of Ranasinghe Premadasa, learned the lesson taught by his father to heart. After completing his studies abroad, he came to Sri Lanka after the assassination of Premadasa. After Premadasa was killed, U.N.P. leaders in Kurunduwatte, President Wijetunga and Prime Minister Ranil, in Colombo over champagne criticized the Premadasa family. At that time, Gamini Dissanayake, who brought an impeachment against Premadasa, came to the aid of the Premadasa family. Gamini asked Sajith to take over the Colombo central seat and work during the presidential election. Sajith came into politics to ensure victory to his father’s arch-enemy, Gamini. But unfortunately, Gamini was killed. Ranil became the party leader. Sajith met Ranil and requested a seat in politics from U.N.P.
Colombo Central cannot be given. I have decided to give the Colombo central to someone else…’ said Ranil.
‘all right. I will accept any seat that is given to me…’ said Sajith.
‘Then go to Hambantota…’ Ranil said thinking that Sajith would say no.
‘I would like to go…’ said Sajith.
He went to Hambantota. organized Hambantota skillfully. While Sajith was going from village to village in Hambantota, the lion of the Hambantota Mahinda and Jvp who made Hambantota their home panicked. Mahinda was a powerful minister in Chandrika’s government during the time. It was during this time that Sajith contested for the Youth Front of the U.N.P. Ranil used party powers to prevent Sajith from contesting from the youth front. Mahinda realized that Sajith would be a threat to him. Ranil realized that Sajith a threat to his leadership. JVP realized that Sajith a threat to the heart of their party. Mahinda and JVP separately made a deal with Ranil to finish off Sajith.
Sajith who came to Hambantota invaded Sirikotha in 2010. On that day, the partisans broke down the gates of Sirikotha and carried Sajit on their shoulders. Mahinda was also scared. Jvp too was scared. Mahinda called U.N.P. working committee members and instructed them to protect Ranil over various promised perks. Mahinda carpeted Sirikota road by blocking the road to stop the procession that came to Sirikota to expel Ranil. Mangala, who defended Ranil, joined the JVP and criticised Sajith. During the conflict between Ranil and Sajith, JVP openly supported Ranil.
Ranasinghe Premadasa was nominated by U.N.P. to compete in the 1988 presidential election. Amidst this team led by JR began discussions with Sri Lanka Freedom party leader Mrs. Bandaranaike to form a caretaker government. The SLFP representatives and JVP representatives started separate negotiations JVP prepared to lay down arms and join the caretaker government.
“ Those that put up posters saying kill JR. Discussing to govern with him. Now everyone is afraid of me becoming president…’
Before the 1988 presidential election, Premadasa finally came to the emergency law debate and shouted to shake the parliament floor. JVP withdrew from the talks. Negotiations broke down.
J.R., Mathini, JVP alliance, which was united in fear of Premadasa becoming President then, is today formed as U.N.P., J.V.P., and S.L.F.P. coalition.
For 31 years from the day of Premadasa’s murder in 1993 until 2020, Sajith launched an unimaginable battle to take the lead in UNP. But Ranil and other European dress-clad team beat Sajith to fall.
It was the public who elevated Sajith to party leadership and opposition leadership in the 2020 general election. When Sajith became the leader of the opposition, Anura insulted Sajith by saying that he should have his brain checked. Handunnetti and Lalkantha said that Ranil should come to Parliament and that Ranil is more suitable for the position of Leader of the Opposition than Sajith. The Podujana Peramuna government also insulted Sajith as the son of a donkey. U.N.P., JVP, Podujana Peramuna did not tolerate Sajith being the opposition leader. Sajith being president will not be tolerated by all these three. Pohottuwa and JVP greedily waited until Ranil grabbed SJP members and destroyed Sajith. When Talatha crossed over to Ranil, it was JVP who was very impressed.
If Sajith had won in 2019, it is Sajith who will have to fight against Covid. Then Sajith would have to go home like other state leaders who went home due to COVID-19. If Sajith had taken the Prime Ministership during the 2022 ‘aragalaya’, what happened to Ranil would have happened to Sajith. Then the accusation that the thieves were not punished is coming to Sajith for ruling with the thieves.
‘Did Premadasa save Sajith…?’
This is the story of political observers who believe in nature. In the 1988 presidential election, Premadasa was opposed by the so-called elites of the U.N.P., J.V.P. and Sri Lanka Freedom Party. Today those who envy Sajith are U.N.P., JVPs and then the Sri Lanka Freedom Party now formed as ‘Pohottuwa’. In 1988, JVP shook the country. JVP is shaking the country today. In 1988 it was with a gun. Today it’s with social media.
‘The country is up to you son…’
Premadasa, who emerged from the ‘sulfur earth’ and died after eating the ‘sulfur earth’, must have whispered that word on his deathbed. But that is not for Sajith but for the little sons of little people. Even at the time of Premadasa’s death, he would not have thought that in 31 years, Sajith Premadasa would be where they were in 1988. But the son of the little man is knocking on the door of the Royal house for the sake of the little people. If Premadasa breaks open that door, it is not Premadasa’s son Sajith who will climb the stairs of the royal house, but the little sons of hundreds of thousands of small people who joined the struggle.
