Ranasinghe Premadasa was nominated by the U.N.P. to compete in the 1988 presidential election.
by Upul Joseph Fernando
A thorn-crowned prince in a pit said I was a lad selling ‘Lavariya’ who lived in Kehelwatte. I told him that I was a ‘Lavariya’ seller boy from Kehelwatte. It was my luck that I got to sell Lavariya in Kehelwatte. I am proud of that. I would like to tell that prince that one day I will raze that prince’s palace to the ground in Attanagalla and build a ‘Uda gama’ there, bringing people who live in the slums whom they consider inferior, and settle them in that ‘Udagama’…”
This speech was delivered by none other than Ranasinghe Premadasa in Colombo Central.
Ranasinghe Premadasa, who was referred to as the ‘Lavariya Wikka Kolla’ of Kehelwatte by the crown prince of the Bandaranaikes, used to hang around the party headquarters of the U.N.P. in Kollupitiya. One day, Premadasa had the opportunity to speak for five minutes at a UNP meeting in Kehelwatte. The meeting was attended by the then U.N.P. leader Dudley Senanayake and J.R.
“Who is this young man? Talking well to impress the crowd like left speakers. We lack good speakers. Get him and develop him. It will be useful for our party…” Dudley whispered into J.R.’s ear. After that, Premadasa had to go around the country to make speeches. From there, he made strides to the Colombo Municipal Council. But the UNP refused to give him an electorate. During this time, the U.N.P could not find a candidate to compete with N.M. in the Ruwanwella constituency.
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| Pres. Ranasinghe Premadasa delivering speech on export development. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images) |
“Give me Ruwanwella. I will battle with N.M…” Premadasa went to Ruwanwella and competed with N.M. Premadasa gave a good fight, but N.M. won. Kurunduwatte UNP leaders, who wore European dress, happily watched Premadasa battling it out with N.M. over a drink of champagne.
“The man is a performer. Let’s put the man in Colombo Central…” Kurunduwatte U.N.P. leaders met and decided. That’s how Premadasa’s political journey began. He became the prime minister and later became president. After becoming president, Gampaha District U.N.P. Organizer Duncan Fernando and U.N.P. General Secretary and State Minister of Defense Ranjan Wijeratne joined together and put up posters with Sajith’s photos all over the country to bring Premadasa’s son Sajith Premadasa into politics as the chief guest of a meeting. In the morning, Premadasa came to know about the poster. Premadasa was furious. He called Duncan and Ranjan Wijeratne and scolded them.
“If my son wants to enter politics, he should come through hard work. He cannot do politics with the power of my presidency…” Premadasa said and sacked Duncan from the Gampaha party organizer position with immediate effect. The meeting was stopped even after the posters were put up and all arrangements were made.
Sajith Premadasa, son of Ranasinghe Premadasa, learned the lesson taught by his father to heart. After completing his studies abroad, he came to Sri Lanka after the assassination of Premadasa. After Premadasa was killed, U.N.P. leaders in Kurunduwatte, President Wijetunga, and Prime Minister Ranil in Colombo over champagne criticized the Premadasa family. At that time, Gamini Dissanayake, who brought an impeachment against Premadasa, came to the aid of the Premadasa family. Gamini asked Sajith to take over the Colombo Central seat and work during the presidential election. Sajith came into politics to ensure victory for his father’s arch-enemy, Gamini. But unfortunately, Gamini was killed. Ranil became the party leader. Sajith met Ranil and requested a seat in politics from the U.N.P.
“Colombo Central cannot be given. I have decided to give Colombo Central to someone else…” said Ranil.
“All right. I will accept any seat that is given to me…” said Sajith.
“Then go to Hambantota…” Ranil said, thinking that Sajith would say no.
“I would like to go…” said Sajith.
He went to Hambantota and organized Hambantota skillfully. While Sajith was going from village to village in Hambantota, the lion of Hambantota, Mahinda, and the JVP, who made Hambantota their home, panicked. Mahinda was a powerful minister in Chandrika’s government during that time. It was during this time that Sajith contested for the Youth Front of the U.N.P. Ranil used party powers to prevent Sajith from contesting for the youth front. Mahinda realized that Sajith would be a threat to him. Ranil realized that Sajith was a threat to his leadership. The JVP realized that Sajith was a threat to the heart of their party. Mahinda and the JVP separately made a deal with Ranil to finish off Sajith.
Sajith, who came to Hambantota, invaded Sirikotha in 2010. On that day, the partisans broke down the gates of Sirikotha and carried Sajith on their shoulders. Mahinda was also scared. The JVP too was scared. Mahinda called U.N.P. working committee members and instructed them to protect Ranil with various promised perks. Mahinda carpeted Sirikotha road by blocking the road to stop the procession that came to Sirikotha to expel Ranil. Mangala, who defended Ranil, joined the JVP and criticized Sajith. During the conflict between Ranil and Sajith, the JVP openly supported Ranil.
Ranasinghe Premadasa was nominated by the U.N.P. to compete in the 1988 presidential election. Amidst this, a team led by J.R. began discussions with Sri Lanka Freedom Party leader Mrs. Bandaranaike to form a caretaker government. The SLFP representatives and JVP representatives started separate negotiations. The JVP prepared to lay down arms and join the caretaker government.
“Those that put up posters saying kill J.R. are now discussing governing with him. Now everyone is afraid of me becoming president…” Before the 1988 presidential election, Premadasa finally came to the emergency law debate and shouted to shake the parliament floor. The JVP withdrew from the talks. Negotiations broke down.
The J.R., Mathini, and JVP alliance, which was united in fear of Premadasa becoming President then, is today formed as the U.N.P., J.V.P., and S.L.F.P. coalition.
For 31 years from the day of Premadasa’s murder in 1993 until 2020, Sajith launched an unimaginable battle to take the lead in the UNP. But Ranil and the other European dress-clad team beat Sajith down.
It was the public who elevated Sajith to party leadership and opposition leadership in the 2020 general election. When Sajith became the leader of the opposition, Anura insulted Sajith by saying that he should have his brain checked. Handunnetti and Lalkantha said that Ranil should come to Parliament and that Ranil was more suitable for the position of Leader of the Opposition than Sajith. The Podujana Peramuna government also insulted Sajith as the son of a donkey. The U.N.P., JVP, and Podujana Peramuna did not tolerate Sajith being the opposition leader. Sajith being president will not be tolerated by all three. Pohottuwa and the JVP greedily waited until Ranil grabbed SJP members and destroyed Sajith. When Talatha crossed over to Ranil, it was the JVP who were very impressed.
If Sajith had won in 2019, it is Sajith who would have had to fight against COVID. Then Sajith would have to go home like other state leaders who went home due to COVID-19. If Sajith had taken the Prime Ministership during the 2022 ‘aragalaya,’ what happened to Ranil would have happened to Sajith. Then the accusation that the thieves were not punished would come to Sajith for ruling with the thieves.
“Did Premadasa save Sajith…?”
This is the story of political observers who believe in nature. In the 1988 presidential election, Premadasa was opposed by the so-called elites of the U.N.P., J.V.P., and Sri Lanka Freedom Party. Today those who envy Sajith are the U.N.P., JVP, and the then Sri Lanka Freedom Party now formed as ‘Pohottuwa.’ In 1988, the JVP shook the country. The JVP is shaking the country today. In 1988 it was with a gun. Today it’s with social media.
“The country is up to you, son…” Premadasa, who emerged from the ‘sulfur earth’ and died after eating the ‘sulfur earth,’ must have whispered those words on his deathbed. But that is not for Sajith but for the little sons of little people. Even at the time of Premadasa’s death, he would not have thought that in 31 years, Sajith Premadasa would be where they were in 1988. But the son of the little man is knocking on the door of the Royal house for the sake of the little people. If Premadasa breaks open that door, it is not Premadasa’s son Sajith who will climb the stairs of the royal house, but the little sons of hundreds of thousands of small people who joined the struggle.
Upul Joseph Fernando is a senior journalist and political analyst based in Colombo. He is a contributing editor of Mawrata News, a Sinhala-language daily online newspaper.
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