Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday gave expression to what no doubt a majority of the public would desire at this particular juncture when the nation is at a crossroads. Making his inaugural address to Parliament since being sworn in on October 26, Premier Rajapaksa said the only option before the country now lay in holing a General Election to resolve the present gridlock between the Executive and the Legislature. The country is in a state of drift while the political tussle is continuing in earnest.
True to form, yesterday too Parliament was plunged into anarchy when MP Lakshman Kiriella demanded that a confidence vote be taken on the Prime Minister’s address. When Speaker Karu Jayasuriya gave the option for the Members to decide if the vote was to be taken by name, all hell broke out in the Well of the House resulting in the Speaker finally having to vacate the Chamber with proceedings once again in disarray. For how long can this state of affairs continue? With the final decision of the Supreme Court on the dissolution of Parliament set for December 7, the country cannot remain in this chaotic state until then.
Both sides appear to be sticking to their guns, with the UNP and its allies claiming victory on the one hand and the Government holding onto the same position. The Speaker too appears to be intransigent and adding to the chaos. On the one hand President Sirisena is firmly of the view that all his actions were derived from the Constitution while Opposition is claiming otherwise. Legal opinion on both sides are based on partisanship with the only option open being to go before the Supreme Court for a clear ruling.
The UNP understandably is reluctant to resort to such a course, perhaps, wary that the President’s position would be vindicated, like it is wary of elections. No doubt the February 10 drubbing is still haunting the minds of the UNP hierarchy who would not want elections if they could help it. Considering the burdens the Greens heaped on the people during the three and half years of Yahapalanaya rule, elections no doubt would be a daunting prospect for the UNP. Besides a simple calculation would show that the combined vote obtained by the SLFP/UPFA and the SLPP topped the 55% mark which the UNP could never hope to achieve as a single party.
There is also the demand by the party rank and file that Ranil Wickremesinghe should step down from the leadership for Sajith to take over. Compounding the misery is the fact that the Green Party may have to face an election sans State power at its disposal.
But there is no other option but a General Election at this point of time if the country is to be salvaged. Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who is known for his wisdom should seriously consider this option and offer his party's support for a two thirds majority in Parliament leading to dissolution and a General Election. The JVP which has a much less prospect of winning an election than the UNP had offered its support in this regard for which Premier Rajapaksa expressed his genuine appreciation in his address to Parliament. After all elections are the lifeblood of democracy.
Meanwhile, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has come in for heavy flak from the Government for the manner in which he is conducting affairs of Parliament post October 26, and not without justification. They claim that the Speaker's whole attitude was partisan and he was bent on protecting the interests of the political party he belonged to. True, his conduct has raised many an eyebrow particularly in the way in which he bulldozed through the vote called by the Opposition to demonstrate its majority in Parliament.
Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena declared that the vote taking was invalid since it was done after he had moved for the adjournment of the House and when the Mace, which symbolizes the official conduct of Parliament business, was not in its due place. There were also allegations that he acted unconstitutionally in the whole affair of calling for a No-Confidence vote against the Prime Minister by suspending Standing Orders.
As the custodian of the rights and privileges of all 225 members of Parliament the Speaker is bound to act evenhandedly to ensure that no party or individual is placed at a disadvantage. No doubt Speaker Jayasuriya is functioning under tremendous pressure from all sides, reminiscent of the former Speaker M. H. Mohamed, during the Premadasa impeachment drama. The late Speaker was the target of a mighty fusillade of the then Opposition when it was alleged he conspired to thwart the impeachment motion and his propriety called into question.
The antidote for all this unpleasantness no doubt will be to go before the people for a clear verdict. This will resolve the current impasse and put the country back on the rails. Continuation of the present political drama, no doubt, will also have dire consequences on the socio-economic landscape.
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