NPP MP Accused by Rumor Mongers
Minister Hadunetti Challenges Ministry’s Tax Policy
Ranil Strategizing to Undermine SJB
Disillusioned Pohottuwa Members Desperately Seek Political Survival
Former Labour Minister Flees Country amid Arrest Fears
Ranil’s International Reputation Takes a Hit
Rumour or gossip on Kottahatchi
Last week, we wrote a brief note on the latest crisis that has emerged within the Malima government through the ‘Inside Politics’ column. We reported that a lawyer wife of a member of parliament representing the Colombo district of Malima had filed a complaint with the Piliyandala police, alleging that MP husband had taken away her Prado car.
Furthermore, it was reported that the MP was having an illicit affair with a female member of parliament representing Malima, government and that despite many warnings, he had not stopped it. Since this incident was reported in the media last Friday, no further information was reported in the weekend newspapers. However, over the weekend, it was seen that many other parties were involved in this incident. Ms. Kaushalya Ariyaratne, a lawyer from the Colombo District, was directly involved in the incident.
She was involved in the incident because, after the incident was reported on Friday, news and posts were widely circulated on social media stating that Kaushalya Ariyaratne was in a relationship with the MP. Some people had also shared photos of the MP and Kaushalya on social media. In addition, some people had called Kaushalya’s phone and spoken to her in an insulting manner.
Initially, Kaushalya did not take this seriously, but as the situation became increasingly serious, she finally decided to file a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department requesting an immediate investigation into the matter. It was also seen that some organizations related to the compass held media conferences claiming that Kaushalya was not involved in this incident.
However, if Kaushalya Ariyaratne was not involved in this incident, which member of the compass was this accusation made against? Although there is no specific reference to it, on the 29th, MP Nilanthi Kottahachchi, who is considered a controversial figure in the compass, was seen posting a wonderful photo and note on her Facebook account. The photo showed her with Nilanthi’s husband and two children.
The note contained the three ‘free verses’ as given below. (Verses in Sinhala was translated into English)
“Not knowing the beginning, end, or middle,
Yet enduring the seven strikes of thunder,
Women are scorned as a rule,
In a land where one swims against the current.“
“Looking back at the path they’ve travelled,
Smiling even amidst the insults,
Rising above the world’s derision,
Some women soar, destined to become future Buddhas.“
“I sit at the foot of a muddy hill,
Moulding clumps of earth, bit by bit,
Pouring water, shaping the land,
Tending the plants, polishing what I create.“
In addition, last Friday, Attorney-at-Law Namal Rajapaksa filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department on her behalf. The complaint stated that a certain person had posted information on social media insulting Ms. Kottahachchi and requested an immediate investigation into the matter.
Handunnetti flare-up
While a crisis was brewing within the compass, Minister Sunil Handunnetti also made a public statement last week, further worsening the situation. Many people saw it as a dangerous hint about something happening within the government. At that time, Handunnetti said that there was a problem with the officials of the Ministry of Finance regarding the economic program. Handunnetti also publicly stated that the program of the Ministry of Finance, especially regarding the tax policy, was unacceptable.
Handunnetti’s speech
‘With whom our conflict is now? Back then, we had a conflict outside to win the rights of the people. Today, we have an internal problem to protect our policies. Today, we have to fight with the Ministry of Finance to protect local industries. I am telling you the truth. We have to combat with the tax policy. Imported goods are not a competition. Our manufacturers can compete with them. The competition is with the officials who protect those imported goods. We have a battle with the taxes the ministry has imposed upon us. These tax increases significantly cause the price increase of our goods. These officials are not ready to change these policies. They are not prepared to act justly. I am ready to accept that challenge as the Minister of Industries and Enterprises.
The other day, Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe and the Ministry Secretary met the officials. They asked them to make minor adjustments to protect local industries. Officials are in the same old place. They are not ready to change. They are not ready to accept the reasonable demands we are making, they are not ready to change the decisions they have made. In that case, we are ready to encounter the taxes they impose on our products.
When we go to the forest, we are not allowed to cut a reed. They file court cases. They will not allow it to be transported. The police will file cases. “They don’t give us the brass, copper, and iron needed for the brass industry. They load it up abroad. Next year, we will give our craftsmen the brass, copper, and iron they need and then give the rest abroad…” was the speech made by Handunnetti.
Economic Assassin
Many people called this statement made by Handunnetti against the Ministry of Finance an indication of a serious conflict of some kind. Giving examples, they said that during the 2010-2015 Mahinda Rajapaksa’s regime and the 2019-2023 Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s regime, the path to government coups was paved due to conflicts between government ministers and the Ministry of Finance. During the 2010 Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, Dr. P.B. Jayasundara served as the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance.
At that time, the first attack on P.B., from Mahinda’s cabinet, was from Minister Wimal Weerawansa. No matter how many proposals Wimal and his team presented to build a local economy, P.B. did not listen to them at that time. No money was allocated for it. This is why Wimal once introduced PB as the ‘economic assassin’. P.B. was accused of conspiring to overthrow the government. The result of this long-running Wimal – P.B. conflict was that Mahinda’s government was set to go home. P.B. was also sued in court, and he was found guilty.
However, P.B. had a big place in the government during the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government from 2019-2022. Through his friendship with the Rajapaksas, P.B. also worked to control the MPs and ministers. But what happened was, as in Mahinda’s time, that the MPs and ministers together launched a rebellion against P.B. The end result was the creation of a massive popular struggle against Gota’s government. That explosion ended after Gota was expelled from the country.
Today, we see a fight has been launched from within the government against the officials of the Ministry of Finance, just as happened during the governments of Mahinda and Gota. Instead of Wimal, Handunnetti, who represented Wimal’s camp, has launched the battle today. Handunnetti’s attack was also aimed at the Governor of the Central Bank and the Secretary to the Treasury.
Even after Ranil Wickremesinghe became President, serious allegations were made against this Finance Ministry Secretary. Finance Ministry Secretary had refused to provide the necessary funds to hold the local government elections, citing the economic crisis as a reason. But despite these allegations, Anura, who came to power after Ranil, decided to retain the Governor of the Central Bank and the Secretary to the Finance Ministry in the same positions without making any changes. However, it is clear from Handunnetti’s statement that there is currently some opposition emerging against them not only from outside but also within the Malima government. However, it is impossible to predict right now what would be the outcome of that attack.
JVP Compass conflict?
However, since the day Anura became president a conflict was brewing between the Compass and the JVP which was not exposed. The ‘Inside politics’ column was able to expose these conflicts intermittently. We reported that a planned attack had been launched by the JVP to overlook those contesting the general election through the Compass. In particular, the two well-known figures from Colombo, Wimal Katipearachchi and Vraie Balthasar, from the Compass, who are known throughout the country, and Upul Kumarapperum, the President’s Counsel from Matara, were defeated and unknown people were elected to the government as a result of this conflict.
Many point out this attack that came out through Handunnetti as an extension of the conflict between the Compass and the JVP. Many believe that Handunnetti dropped this political bombshell in particular with the hope of completely turning the government towards the JVP policy.
In addition, last week, Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri, a strong activist of the Compass, also took steps to post two strong criticisms of the Compass government on his Facebook page. Nirmal Dewasiri is a well-known professor who led a massive ideological struggle within the university system to bring the Compass government to power. When a certain professor expressed his views on the doctorate of former Speaker Ashoka Ranwala, it was Nirmal who was first to openly express his views on it. He said that if there was such a problem, Ashoka Ranwala should take steps to correct it immediately; otherwise he should resign from that position without sending the government into a crisis. Other groups in the opposition declared war on Ashoka Ranwala following Nirmal’s criticism.
Nirmal had left two special notes on his Facebook page, strongly questioning the silence of the Compass in the face of the political crisis. One of them was, ‘It seems that the intellectual circle of the National People’s Power has abandoned politics’. The second was, ‘Social transformation can only be made a reality by overcoming bureaucracy and seizing the state’. Accordingly, it can be seen that the second note that Nirmal had left is very similar to Sunil Handunnetti’s statement. Also, through this statement of Nirmal, it was seen that some crisis has emerged within the Compass.
Behind all that, the next sign of the crisis came out through Minister Lalkantha. He also made a rather controversial statement the other day, saying that the next tsunami of the people will come against the public servants. Lalkantha had strongly questioned the efficiency of public servants.
Ranil’s latest conspiracy
While this type of crisis was emerging within the NPP government, the ‘inside politics’ column was ready to expose Ranil’s latest operations which he schemes secretly. He seems working actively in the second phase of his political operations which he started soon after assuming the presidency.
Since Gota abandoned and fled the presidency Ranil who assumed office from the back door with the help of Rajapakse’s was targeting to destroy Sajith and SJB. He adopted several political manoeuvrings immediately after assuming office. Offering ministerial positions and privileges to SJB MPs was able to grab MPs such as Harin Fernando, Manusha Nanayakkara, Vadivel Suresh, and Velukumar.
Ranil launched the next operation by giving various privileges to SJB MPs and constantly creating problems and conflicts within the SJB through them. Through this, Ranil had once taken steps to provide a large number of bar licenses to many SJB MPs. Some SJB MPs had even been issued licenses to manufacture alcohol. Ranil also provided crores of rupees from the government’s decentralized fund to a few other selected MPs. Although SJB voters defeated a portion of those MPs in the last general election and send them home, a few of them are still in parliament this time as well. Now Ranil is trying to capture those people and get them to issue various statements and create conflicts within the SJB.
In addition, after assuming the presidency, Ranil easily embarked on the mission to destroy the SJB by postponing the local government elections without a date, citing the financial crisis. Although many people thought that Ranil postponed the local government elections due to the country’s financial crisis that was not the real story behind it. Ranil did it deliberately to prevent the SJB and Sajith from rising politically.
This is because if the local government elections had been held at that time, Sajith’s SJB alliance would have won a large number of municipal councils, urban councils, and provincial councils. If the SJB had won, the SJB would have had the opportunity to create a grassroots network of MPs spread across the country under the name of SJB for the first time.
During the 2018 Yahapalana government, the Pohottuwa party entered the battle to seize power with the victory of an overwhelming majority of local government institutions, with or without state power. Subsequently, the Pohottuwa party won the presidential election and the general election in 2018 through the network of village MPs it built within the country through the local government elections.
Ranil, who understood this very well, postponed the local government elections, depriving the SJB of that opportunity that was to be grasped. At present SJB only has the strength of the members of parliament. The SJB still does not have local government members or provincial council members. Therefore, the SJB does not officially have a grassroots mechanism at the village level.
When Ranil postponed the local government elections in 2023, citing lack of funds, the JVP including Anura did not express serious opposition to it because if the local government elections were held, it would be impossible to prevent the creation of a large political network for the SJB. Accordingly, Anura was also of the position that the local government elections should not be held anyway. The JVP knows that the Pohottuwa elected Gotabaya as President and later obtained a two-thirds majority in the general election with the political strength it gained in the 2018 local government elections. That is why Ranil got the unsolicited support of the compass to postpone the local government elections.
Unfortunately, the SJB could not understand this political truth at that time. If they had understood that political truth, they would not have allowed Ranil to postpone the local government elections at all. If they had understood that truth at that time, Sajith would be the President of this country today. The SJB holds the power of government.
SJB’s pawns
However, the Compass is currently preparing to hold the local government elections by next March. Since the Compass currently holds a two-thirds majority, the Compass knows very well that it can win the vast majority of the local government institutions. Also, with Ranil suffering a crushing defeat in the last presidential election by claiming the cylinder, the Compass knows very well that Ranil cannot enter the field of competition in this local government election either with the cylinder or the elephant. Therefore, even if it is possible to win a vast majority of local government institutions, the battle this time will be between the Compass and the SJB.
Also, after this local government election, the SJB will have the ability to officially create a network of MPs at the village level across the country. Through this, the SJB has the ability to create a grassroots political mechanism, just like the 2018 Pohottuwa was created for the first time.
It is not that Ranil does not know this. Just as he prevented the opportunity for the SJB by postponing the local government elections in 2023 by becoming the President, Ranil is preparing to play another political game to prevent political strength that the SJB would gain for the first time. Otherwise, Ranil’s plan is to prevent the SJB and the UNP from contesting the local government elections.
This time too, Ranil has entrusted the operation to his close associates Sagala Ratnayake, Vajira Abeywardena, and his cousin Ruwan Wijewardena. In addition, Ranil is launching a thin plan to embed this operation within the SJB by capturing a few people within the SJB who do not understand the ins and outs of politics.
Ranil’s fake attempts
First, he is preparing to bring this operation within the SJB by saying that the SJB and the UNP will form a new alliance without Ranil and target the local government elections. Accordingly, several parties involved in this operation are said to have already started secret discussions in several places. As those discussions progress, they plan to submit a proposal to the SJB that they should contest the local government elections under a common symbol and a common alliance, and through that, they have meticulously prepared plans to remove the phone and the SJB from this year’s ballot paper. If that operation is successful, the SJB will not be able to establish a grassroots party mechanism for another 5 years. If SJB does not understand Ranil’s game, the end of the SJB as a party will be decided right there.
Several others have infiltrated the Presidential Secretariat for the past two or three years to bring this operation of Ranil into the SJB. Their names are ready to be revealed to our country at the right time. Also, several MPs who have obtained bar licenses from Ranil and several MPs who have received decentralized funds from Ranil are behind this operation. In addition, it is known that a young SJB MP who has close relations with the head of a certain multinational company is also behind this operation. Although he has also been shown to be with Sajith throughout the past period, it is also known that he has held discussions with Sagala Ratnayake on several occasions.
In parallel, it can be seen how a massive attack has been launched by the English and Sinhala newspapers owned by Ranil’s cousin Ruwan Wijewardene targeting Sajith and the SJB. Through this, the opinion that these newspapers are trying to convey to society is that Sajith and the SJB have weakened by now. In parallel, it can be seen that various statements are being issued from the SJB fraction now and then, inciting this. In particular, several defeated MPs are now holding media conferences and saying that the SJB and the UNP should unite.
But in reality, they are fulfilling Ranil’s contract to destroy the SJB rather than the contract to rebuild the SJB. However, it is not that several talented, young MPs have not entered parliament from the SJB since the last general election. Also, there is a large group of such talented young people among the defeated group. While they are struggling to build the party, it is also seen that a few people who made deals with Ranil are entering parliament this time too and following the old path.
Ranil’s International View
When Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government was in disrepute both domestically and internationally, Ranil’s biggest propaganda to infiltrate the government was that he alone had the strength and international relations to rebuild the fallen country and that if he took over the country, he would immediately receive $4 billion from Japan. While Ranil and Ranil’s henchmen were making such pompous claims, we clearly stated through the ‘inside politics’ column that Ranil was lying, that Ranil would not receive a single dollar from Japan, let alone $4 billion, and that Ranil did not have any such international relations.
This information we revealed was confirmed by the fact that no country in the world offered to provide aid to Sri Lanka in the two years since Ranil assumed the presidency. Also, apart from the loan assistance received from the International Monetary Fund, no other country offered to help Ranil. But 80% of the work to obtain a loan from the IMF had already been completed by Basil, the former Finance Minister of Gota’s government. This was confirmed by the fact that Ranil publicly requested Basil to provide the agreement with the IMF during a discussion held at that time.
Ranil’s exaggeration
This time, a brief note on Ranil’s exaggerated view of international relations through the ‘inside politics’ column was made because of several incidents that Ranil had to face during his last visit to India. As soon as Anura became president, Ranil went to India before Anura, and after Anura went to India and returned, Ranil went to India again to show the country that he had greater acceptance from India than Anura. Or rather, to show the country that he had been invited by India before Anura was invited and after Anura went to India and returned.
But the real story was not that, Ranil had gone both times not according to official invitations received from the government of that country but according to personal invitations. The first time, he had gone to visit historical places in India and watch wildlife. Then, he went to attend a memorial lecture by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
However, Ranil had arranged to visit several historical places in India this time too with his wife Maithri Wickremesinghe. There, Ranil came to know that Dr. Manmohan Singh, a former Prime Minister of India and considered the father of India’s economic renaissance, had passed away. Accordingly, Ranil immediately went to the Indian Congress Party headquarters to pay his last respects to Manmohan Singh. Accordingly, Ranil’s side had taken steps to show that he had received great recognition in India by releasing a photograph of it to the local media.
Namal well received
But less than 24 hours after this incident, Namal Rajapaksa also flew from Sri Lanka to India to pay his last respects to Dr. Manmohan Singh. The most special event that was witnessed there was the great reception that Namal received from the Congress party leaders, which Ranil did not receive. In particular, everyone could see how former Congress party leader Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi were talking to Namal very cordially for a long time. In addition, K.C. Venugopal, who is the general secretary of the party, was also seen exchanging views with Namal. The fact that this incident was given a great deal of publicity through the Indian media that Ranil had not been given was also a special event.
With this incident, the balloon that Ranil was inflating by claiming to have international friendships suddenly collapsed. Accordingly, to erase the loss that had occurred, several more photographs were immediately released to the media from Ranil’s side, showing Ranil paying his last respects to Manmohan Singh.
Manusha fled?
‘Mawrata’ newspaper has learned from a very reliable source that the investigations into a number of large-scale frauds and corruptions allegedly committed in a powerful ministry during the previous government have now reached the final stage.
Accordingly, it has also been learned that all necessary measures are currently being taken to arrest a former powerful minister in this regard.
After the current government came to power, many complaints had been received regarding various activities that had taken place in that ministry, and the authorities had then taken steps to refer them to the relevant institutions for investigation.
Accordingly, it has been learned that investigators have conducted relevant investigations over the past two months and uncovered a lot of evidence.
As the process is currently in its final stages, it is learnt that all preparations are underway to arrest a former powerful minister who is responsible for the relevant corrupt transactions.
Mawrata exposure
This is a special news item that was revealed to the country on December 1st through a news item of ‘Mawrata’. According to information received from internal government sources, the news item published by the government is now 100% confirmed and the ‘Insidepolitics’ column has received news that there is a plan to arrest several other powerful figures from the former government in place of one minister in the new year.
Currently, several investigations related to former Minister Manusha Nanayakkara are in their final stages, and as one of the steps, one of his brothers, Thisara Nanayakkara, has been arrested and in remand custody. This was for an incident in which he defrauded people of Rs. 3 million by promising to send them abroad. The Criminal Investigation Department had reported to the court that Rs. 270 million had been deposited into his bank account in the past 2 years.
Social media report
However, according to news published on social media, Manusha has now left the country. Some say that he went abroad with his family on a year-end holiday . But others say that Manusha first went to France and then brought his family to France. Accordingly, just as former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran, the main accused in the Central Bank bond scam that allegedly took place during Ranil’s time, fled to Singapore, Manusha Nanayakkara, a powerful minister in the previous Ranil government, has also fled to France.
In addition, information from the security forces indicates that several cases involving several members of the Rajapaksa family will be pending in court in the future, and there is a possibility of arresting several powerful individuals. In particular, it is understood that the investigations into the MiG aircraft deal that took place when Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the Defense Secretary, the Siriliya account in the name of Mrs. Shiranthi Rajapaksa, and Yoshitha Rajapaksa regarding a Kataragama land have now reached the final stage.
Back to Pohottuwa
A large number of Pohottuwa candidates in the last presidential election and the general election ultimately ended up standing close to Ranil. Another group stood close to Sajith. However, with Ranil’s defeat in the presidential election, the Pohottuwa groups that joined Ranil have become politically disunited. Accordingly, now those groups have also split into several factions and are discussing future actions.
Anuradhapura strongman S.M. Chandrasena, who supported Ranil from the Pohottuwa, joined Dilith Jayaweera’s ‘Mawbima Janatha Party’ last week. Another group, including Nimal Lansa, who supported Ranil, is currently preparing to once again join the Pohottuwa in future politics. In addition, it is also learned that a group of young MPs including Madura Withanage, who supported Ranil, have decided to discuss their future politics with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya. Accordingly, it can be seen that Ranil has finally reached a point where he will not receive the support of any MP, as all those who supported Ranil have now turned their backs.
