By Sajith Premadasa is struggling to keep his party unified and move forward in the upcoming election.
UNP Secretary Palitha Range Bandara stated that Sajith Premadasa and his group are always welcome back to the UNP. This comment goes beyond a mere invitation; it’s a reminder to the opposition leader to consider his options.
Several factors are pushing Sajith Premadasa against the wall. Anura Kumara Dissanayaka and the NPP’s rising popularity are attracting new voters, floating voters, and those disgruntled with the Rajapaksas and their clan.
Traditionally, the UNP has enjoyed a block vote from Tamils in the North and East. Sajith Premadasa was able to garner around 10% of Tamil votes from these regions, primarily due to Ranil Wickremesinghe’s campaigning. This time, not only does he lack that advantage, but he has also failed to offer anything relevant to the North and East Tamils.
The Ranil Factor
Ranil Wickremesinghe is narrowing Sajith Premadasa’s political space by portraying himself as someone capable of delivering and paving the road to recovery. If Sajith Premadasa fails to take decisive action to strengthen his position, key SJB members may eventually switch their allegiance to Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Sarath Fonseka openly criticized the invitation extended to former Army Commander Daya Ratnayaka. Champika Ranawaka called out Sajith Premadasa for using opposition time selfishly. Rajitha Senarathna hinted at changing loyalties, and many others are in talks with the UNP about switching sides.
In a desperate bid to solidify his position, Sajith Premadasa began inviting anyone into the SJB, regardless of merit or integrity. Many of these individuals, like G.L. Peiris, Nalaka Godahewa, Channa Jayasumana, and Daya Ratnayaka, were closely linked to the failed Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime.
SJB seniors Harsha de Silva, Eran Wickramaratne, and Kabir Hashim expressed their disappointment with these recruitment moves.
Parliamentarian Mano Ganeshan, a partner in the SJB alliance, openly criticized the invitation extended to Channa Jayasumana, who falsely accused Dr. Shafi Shihabdeen of performing forced sterilizations of Sinhalese women. Jayasumana, a medical doctor, engaged in shameful anti-Muslim rhetoric and has not publicly apologized for his irresponsible behaviour.
Ganeshan declared that recruiting Channa Jayasumana was unacceptable under any circumstances.
SJB parliamentarians at the electoral level are worried about losing their slots to newcomers and those switching sides. Conversely, the UNP doesn’t face this issue because they have ample electoral slots to offer, as most heavyweights left for the SJB, and reappointing them as organizers is not a problem.
Undoubtedly, Sajith Premadasa’s leadership qualities are being tested. If he fails, the last resort option would be to reconcile with Ranil Wickremesinghe and merge the SJB with the UNP. This would make Ranil Wickremesinghe the leader of a grand alliance comprising the UNP, SJB, and displaced politicians from the Lotus group.
However, the attractiveness of this grand alliance to voters remains another question
