Opp. leader Mahinda said he’ll wipe out Bandaranaikes from politics - Gamini Jayawickrama

 Saturday, 23 November 2013 

“During the period president Mahinda Rajapaksa was the fisheries minister, he was undercut a lot by his party. When I asked him to join our party and form a government, what he said was – ‘I will stand fast, f--k that c--t, become the party leader and wipe the Bandaranaikes out from politics.’ Now, the Bandaranaikes are being wiped out. So is the SLFP”, said former chairman of UNP Gamini Jayawickrama Perera.

Mr. Perera was speaking at a media briefing, at which he also commented on the Dayasiri Jayasekara’s crossover and the shortcut ways of Sajith Premadasa to become leader of the UNP. A media institution has handed over the audio tape of this discussion to former president Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Mr. Gamini Jayawickrama Perera also said, “What I advised him (Dayasiri) was that there are no ladders to go up in politics. There were only two exceptions – Madam Chandrika and D.B. Wijetunga. He had retired and was in a governor position when a MP position came his way due to a past meritorious deed. Mr. Premadasa made him prime minister. He later became president. Chandrika too, went up similarly. But remember, I am telling the president, his people and our people as well, take one step up in the lader at a time. I will tell one thing. Do you remember his (president) playing a role in a tele drama? At that time he was the fisheries minister. He was undercut a lot by the madam president. He was indirectly told to leave. The president played the role in the tele drama under the direction of Samson Kumarage, who was my media director. He told me, “Mr. minister, please book the Kurunegala circuit bungalow for a party for the actors and actresses.’ He also invited me. Mayor Nimal also came. I remember Mahinda Rajapaksa was wearing a sarong. I tried to take him to the UNP. I told him to go to the room. Those days, we addressed each other as ‘machang.’ Those friendships are not there any longer. The mayor too, was watching. I told Nimal to join our discussios. Machang, you are being undercut by Chandrika. Why do you just carry on? Join us. We will give you a good position. Then, he rebuked Madam Chandrika in those raw filthy words. Our mayor Nimal too, will bear witness.”

“Anyhow, the president has real talent. I think that he decided on his very first day in parliament to become the country’s leader. He worked according to a real plan. Those days, his biggest challenge came from Anura Bandaranake. Mahinda planned well and made Anura addicted to alcohol and women. Anura could not survive. Then, his main obstacle was SB Dissanayake. He was given ropes and driven to the UNP. Then, he got Mangala to help him to become the president. Thereafter, he threw out Mangala to pave the way for Namal. No one has realistically studied Mahinda Rajapaksa’s political games. But, there is one thing which the president does not consider. He is making the UNP stronger, not the SLFP. The UNP regime that will be elected next time cannot be shaken until the eternity. That will be the end of the SLFP,” Mr. Gamini Jayawickrama Perera said.