People get onto the streets; Govt. reacts with heavy hand
Sunday, August 04, 2013
Bloody military reaction to villagers wailing for clean water for Weliweriya, Govt. accused of backing big financier UPFA seniors sideline Jayasekera in NWP campaign, claims for chief minister post creates rift TNA confident in Northern polls, President tells Hakeem to cooperate with UPFA
Parliament’s Acting Secretary General Dhammika Dassanayake was at his office last Monday morning when his telephone rang. It was lawyer cum politician Dayasiri Jayasekera, who joined the Government ranks from the main opposition United National Party (UNP) just last week.
A parliamentarian for the Kurunegala District for over 18 years, Jayasekera wanted to know whether he could tender his resignation post-dated. That is to be effective once the North Western Provincial Council elections are over on September 21. Dassanayake replied that there was no legal provision for him to remain an MP if he were to contest the NWP polls. Hence, he drove to the Parliament Complex in Kotte later that day to hand in his resignation. He formally quit as MP that Monday.
Jayasekera being ignorant of the procedure is one thing. Another more important question is why he wanted to remain an MP when he was contesting the provincial polls. Did he seek to retain the option to revert to Parliament as an MP of the ruling UPFA in the event his dream of becoming a Chief Minister did not materialise. Is this why, like issuing post-dated cheques, he raised the query. After his farewell speech in Parliament, Jayasekera spoke at a meeting in Wariyapola the next day. “Some people think I will stay as Chief Minister for one or two years and go away. That is not true. I will serve the entire five year term,” he said. Yet, Jayasekera’s name was listed as 37, the last in the UPFA nomination. He said that though he is No. 37 on the list, he will come first and be the Chief Minister. This was in variance with an earlier claim that he had an assurance from the President that he would be made Chief Minister in the event the UPFA wins the NWP election. Read More
