SJB receives big boost by way of SC unseating Harin and Manusha

By Shamindra Ferdinando

All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) leader Rishad Bathiudeen, MP, yesterday (09) said that he would consult supporters at district level before announcing their stand on the forthcoming presidential election.

The former Trade and Commerce Minister and Vanni District lawmaker said so when The Island asked him whether the ACMC quit the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB)-led Samagi Jana Sandanaya, formed to back Sajith Premadasa’s candidature at the presidential election.

MP Bathiudeen said that he couldn’t have joined the launch of the new alliance on Thursday (08) at the Sugathadasa International Stadium as he was out of the country and yet to consult the electorate.

The ACMC contested the last parliamentary election held in August 2020 on the SJB ticket. Altogether, the breakaway UNP faction won 54 seats, including seven National List slots.

Responding to another query, the MP indicated that though his party contested the general election on the SJB ticket, that didn’t necessarily mean the ACMC had to support Premadasa’s candidature. The former Minister said that his party would choose either Premadasa, or incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is in the presidential fray as an independent candidate.

However, all other political parties namely, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Democratic People’s Front (DPF), National Union of Workers (NUW) and Upcountry People’s Front (UPF), that contested the last general election, entered into a fresh electoral pact with the SJB. The Tamil Progressive Front consists of DPF, NUW and UPF. However, ACMC skipped the event held at the Sugathadasa International Stadium.

Reiterating that the ACMC decision would be guided by their supporters’ stand on the presidential polls, MP Bathiudeen said that he would begin consultations in the northern and eastern districts, except Jaffna and Puttalam, over the next few days. “Our decision will be announced next week, probably on August 17,” MP Bathiudeen said.

SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem declared, at the launch of the new alliance, that President Wickremesinghe should be taught a lesson for bribing lawmakers to switch their allegiance ahead of the presidential poll. Referring to the recent ouster of long serving Bangladeshi Premier Sheikh Hasina following a violent public uprising, the former Minister warned President Wickremesinghe that such fate could befall those pursuing dictatorial agendas.

MP Hakeem also slammed President Wickremesinghe over the massive fraud perpetrated through the introduction of a new On Arrival visa  scheme. Pointing out that President Wickremesinghe allowed the corrupt deal that was even worse than the Treasury bond scams, perpetrated in 2015 and 2016, MP Hakeem said that they should decide whether to hand over the country to such a leader.

The former Minister said that the 2015 Treasury bond scam was carried out a few months before the general election. Likewise, the Online Visa scam was launched in the run-up to the presidential polls.

In addition to the SLMC and constituents of the TPA entering into the agreement with the SJB, Nidahasa Janatha Sabhawa, consisting of a group of rebel SLPP MPs, joined Sajith Premadasa’s campaign. The group consists of Prof. G.L. Peiris, Dullas Alahapperuma, Dilan Perera, Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, Wasantha Yapa Bandara, Upul Gallappatty, K.P.S. Kumarasiri, Charitha Herath, Lalith Ellawela, Tilak Rajapaksa and Gunapala Ratnasekera.

Sajith Premadasa’s grouping also included the SLFP faction led by Dayasiri Jayasekera, and the civil society grouping Purawasi Handa Bahujana Vyaparaya. Former captain of the national cricket team and ex-Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, too, pledged his support to the SJB leader.

Parliamentarian Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, who had been engaged in a running battle with his leader Sajith Premadasa, has resigned as Chairman of the party in the wake of him paying Rs 75,000 cash deposit to contest the presidential election as an independent candidate.

The former Minister and Commander of the warwinning Army called his first media briefing at the Waters Edge Hotel to explain the circumstances leading to him coming forward again as an independent. Fonseka lost to Mahinda Rajapaksa by a huge margin at the 2010 presidential poll.

MP Mujibur Rahman said that with the Supreme Court ruling that unseated Ministers Manusha Nanayakkara and Harin Fernando for switching allegiance to President Wickremesinghe, at the expense of the party they were elected from, couldn’t have been given at a better time.

The Supreme Court yesterday (09) ruled that the SJB’s decision taken on July 18, 2023, to suspend the party membership of Manusha Nanayakkara and Harin Fernando was lawful.

The SC unseated the Ministers while dismissing a petition filed by them seeking an order that the SJB decision is unlawful.

The decision was announced by the three-member Supreme Court bench consisting of Justices Vijith Malalgoda, Achala Vengappuli and Arjuna Obeysekara.Bandulalal Bandarigoda will succeed Manusha Nanayakkara who entered Parliament from Galle District, whereas Harin Fernando represented the SJB National List.