By Shamindra Ferdinando

‘Sarvajana Balaya’ political alliance consisting of former SLPP constituents has declared the grouping as the only viable alternative to President Ranil Wickremesinghe as SJB leader Sajith Premadasa as well as JJB/JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake were pursuing the same agenda inimical to national interests.

The grouping pointed out the position taken by the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government, the SJB and JJB/JVP with regard to the controversial 13th Amendment to the Constitution that had been enacted in Nov 1987 to appease India and the IMF intervention in the wake of economic collapse in 2022 indicated their common stand.

‘Sarvajana Balaya’ launched its campaign with a meeting at Nugegoda this week where MPs Wimal Weerawansa (NFF), Udaya Gammanpila (PHU), Weerasumana Weerasinghe (CP), Gevindu Cumaratunga (Yuthukama civil society group), Prof. Channa Jayasumana, Jayantha Samaraweera (NFF), Gamini Waleboda (NFF), entrepreneur Dilith Jayaweera (MJP), former Eastern Province Governor Anuradha Yahampath and several others claimed the right to lead those who voted for Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the 2019 presidential poll.

Former Minister Weerawansa however declared that ‘Sarvajana Balaya’ wouldn’t invite ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to its stage under any circumstances.

The NFF with five MPs is the largest party in the new grouping.

Alleging that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa and the then Secretary to the President Dr. P.B. Jayasundera betrayed the 2019 mandate, lawmaker Weerawansa reiterated their commitment to rectify the blunders caused by that administration.

In his hard-hitting address, Colombo District MP Weerawansa said that the emergence of ‘Sarvajana Balaya’ proved nationalistic grouping remained intact though Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled after having betrayed the 6.9 mn vote mandate.

Declaring that President Wickremesinghe had neutralised the SLPP politically and was pursuing his despicable agenda as advised by the IMF, MP Weerawansa warned what he called Wickremesinghe-Basil Rajapaksa grouping and other allied elements they would be defeated.

Former Derana chief Jayaweera is widely believed to be the presidential candidate of ‘Sarvajana Balaya’ though the grouping is yet to make an official announcement.

Alleging that the SLPP backed Wickremesinghe’s utterly destructive and merciless agenda, lawmaker Weerawansa said that politically the ruling party experienced what the NFF leader called a transgender situation. Accusing Wickremesinghe of turning the country to an Indian colony, MP Weerawansa referred to gradual Indian take-over of vital sectors here with the focus on Adani investments in the power sector. Comparing the granting of land ownership to farmers here with that of land distribution in Bihar on Indian Premier Narendra Modi’s directive, lawmaker Weerawansa said that consequences would be devastating.

One-time JVP heavyweight explained how Sri Lanka could lose its economic independence forever to India and the impact of the far reaching Economic Transformation Bill (ETB) pending before the Supreme Court.

The ex-minister said that Wickremesinghe’s despicable strategy may finally result in the creation of USD 150 bn national debt due to the suspension of loan repayments for a period of five years with the approval of IMF and other international lenders. MP Weerawansa alleged that the JVP and its breakaway faction the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) suspended high profile protest campaigns in the wake of Wickremesinghe’s election as the President in July 2022.

PHU leader Gammanpila dealt with how enactment of Foreign Exchange Act No 12 of 2017 during yahapalanaya contributed to the current economic crisis. Led by the UNP, 94 MPs voted for the new destructive law to do away with the time-tested Exchange Control Act No 24 of 1953.

Former Minister Gammanpila flayed the JJB/JVP for accommodating former Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne, the senior officer in charge of the CID at the time of 2019 Easter Sunday carnage, on its stage. Attorney-at-law Gammanpila accused the JVP of facilitating Seneviratne’s disgraceful plot to blame the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) for the failure to thwart National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) suicide attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) should be held responsible for the Easter Sunday failure as there had been numerous NTJ related/involved incidents between 2017 and 2019 in the run-up to April 21, 2019 suicide blasts, MP Gammanpila said.

Referring to wealthy spice trader Mohamed Ibrahim being on the JVP’s National List at the 2015 general election, his sons carrying out suicide attacks and daughter-in-law blasting herself to death at their Dematagoda residence, MP Gammanpila claimed the likes of S/DIG Seneviratne, SSP Shani Abeysekera appeared to have been involved with the JVP for some time though they got onto their political stage recently.

MP Cumaratunga told the gathering interested parties were making an attempt to distort their views. The newcomer recalled the circumstances in which the people were called to Nugegoda in 2015 to save the country from yahapalanaya.

Declaring their interventions succeeded in thwarting high profile Indian and US projects such as ETCA, MP Cumaratunga said unfortunately the newly elected government failed to achieve what the people expected of them.

MP Cumaratunga said that in spite of risks involved, they fiercely opposed government projects from the very beginning. The MP made reference to their campaign against the 20th Amendment. He questioned the failure on the part of the SJB and JJB/JVP to oppose the despicable Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa agenda influenced by US-India.

MP Cumaratunga assured they would do everything possible even at the risk to their lives to protect the motherland. The civil society activist questioned the move to outsource visa issuing process at the expense of the country while attacking the government for giving in to Indian expansionist strategy.