From ‘Can’t Do Without Mahinda’ To ‘Can’t Do With Mahinda’
By Karu Jayasuriya –August 13, 2015
Karu Jayasuriya
Power at any cost; It is the UPFA’s election strategy which is evident now from their daily change of slogans. The UPFA campaign commenced with the slogan “can’t do without Mahinda” then changed it to “we rise with Mahinda”. They have now abandoned both those slogans and their election campaign has taken a new turn in the eleventh hour. Now they have started using the photograph of President Maithripala Sirisena to boost their campaign. It shows that those who shouted the slogans “can’t do without Mahinda” have now changed the slogan to “can’t do with Mahinda”. The group which tried to convene the SLFP Central Committee and oust the President and his loyalists from the party has now started marketing the image of President Maithripala Sirisena; as their final trump card.
What the UPFA leaders should understand is that President Maithripala Sirisena is not merely an individual, but he is the icon of a program of action. The real representatives of the movement who stand for good governance, guaranteeing the supremacy of law and creating a righteous society are candidates contesting the elections from the United National Front for good governance and not from the UPFA.
Now they have started using the photograph of President Maithripala Sirisena to boost their campaign
The majority of the UPFA candidates are those who are accused of corruption, fraud, thuggery and spreading fear psychosis. They do not represent the thinking of President Maithripala Sirisena. The group that broke away from the UPFA along with President Maithripala has come forward to contest this election as candidates of the United National Front. It is now too late for the UPFA to guarantee their future by taking cover under President Maithripala’s image.
Throughout the whole election campaign, UPFA based their propaganda on slogans connecting the diaspora, division of the country and federal administration. When it was found that these slogans have lost validity they resorted to staging hilarious dramas by exhibiting vials of poison and empty pots. The issue of the UPFA manifesto is another trump card used by them. It was a shower of promises; what Mahinda Rajapaksa did not do when he was in power and what he willfully abandoned are now incorporated into a pack of promises “guaranteeing the future” which itself has boomeranged on them.
He promises to give Rupees 200,000 to the youth at the time of tying the nuptial knot. It reminds the people of the increase of the marriage registration fee from Rs. 500 to 5,000. It also reminds the people about his broken promise to “giving houses and lands at the time of marriage”.
