By A strong lobby is building up, suggesting that one of the Rajapakshas, Basil or Namal, should be the presidential candidate. The rationale is that whatever the outcome may be, it will provide an opportunity to maintain the status quo.
The outcome, with the Rajapakshas strongly positioned in the political landscape, is believed to provide security to the Rajapaksha family and its loyalists. The lobby promoting the Rajapakshas seems to believe that Ranil Wickremasinghe cannot be trusted as an ally, while the power surge of the NPP could be dangerous for them. Much of the Rajapaksha rule could be questioned in courts.
The Matale meeting of the Lotus grouping demonstrates this trend.
About 25 former local councillors and two parliamentarians (Rohana Dissanayake and Nalaka Dissanayake) of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) unanimously decided that Namal Rajapaksa should be the SLPP candidate in the presidential election. Namal Rajapaksa, who was at the meeting, just nodded but added that a final decision on a presidential candidate will be taken by the party leadership. The National Organizer post of the party remains vacant. Understandably, the National Organizer post will go to the presidential candidate.
However, two other parliamentarians from the Matale District were not present. The absence of Janaka Bandara Tennekoon and Pramitha Bandara Tennekoon signifies divisions within the party.
Meanwhile, Namal Rajapaksa and others are trying to develop a broad-based front that will support the SLPP candidate.
Meanwhile, there is another group proposing Basil Rajapaksha as the SLPP candidate. The candidacy of Dhamika Perera seems to be under the carpet, at least for the moment.
