By Basil Rajapaksha who used the VIP Lounge at the BIA to disembark arriving on Emirates flight EK-650 lost no time to sit for a discussion with Ranil Wickramasinha and Mahinda Rajapaksha to map out the current scenarios.
In fact he was lay
ing the foundations for a well calculated plan which was for the SLPP to move away from Ranil Wickramsinha and hold the regains of the party with the Rajapakshas, without upsetting Ranil Wickramasinha.
There were queries on Wickremesinghe’s ethnic reconciliation programme.and the party is making demands as a pretext to move away .Tthe prospects of an alliance to back Wickremesinghe is unlikely.
The formula to implement this strategy is to have the parliamentary elections first and then if need the SLPP could join hands to support a presidential candidate as a common candidate or what ever.
The burning issue for the SLPP and the Rajapaksha family is to keep AKD and group at bay. They are well aware that AKD coming in to power could bring about difficult times.Basil Rajapaksha is aware that he can get many political groupings across the board to join in keeping AKD and the Jathika Jana Balawegaya at bay. The best way to do this is to do this is to have the parliamentary election first. However this would be only a temporary solution if the Jathika Jana Balawegaya could get a parliamentary majority.
The Basil loyalist such as Udayanga Werathunga and Ranjith Bandara have said Basil Rajapaksha is capable of turning things around and making it a formidable force despite it’s declined popularity. On the other hand what ever the out come of the election it is a money spinner for many. The SLPP which has been in power is well aware of the taste of campaign funding and there are many who have received favours and would be more than willing to reciprocate.
