Single Issue Candidate The Solution – Opening A Pandora’s Box – Let’s Think Of An Alternative
By Upali Wickramasinghe -September 20, 2014
Upali Wickramasinghe
It was nearly a year ago that Prof. Kumar David made public the proposal to put forward a common candidate by the opposition at the next Presidential Election. He identified the possible candidate as Maduluwawe SobithaHamuduruwo. The good Hamuduruwo, on many subsequent occasions indicated that he will venture into the candidacy, subject to the parliamentary opposition being unable to field a suitable common candidate.
This announcement by Prof Kumar was followed by the news papers identifying some of the people backing and supporting this proposal. Of those identified were Dr.Jayampathy Wickrmaratne a lawyer of repute, another well known lawyer Mr.J.C.Weliamuna and Academician Dr.Nimal Ranjith Devasiri of the University of Colombo to mention a few.
I also happened to read a column by Dr.Wickramaratne on the same subject.
I am entitled to my view as a citizen. My reaction to the proposal was not appreciative at all. To my layman’s view it appeared unethical and not liable to be successful.
Ven Sobitha
Their road map require that there will be one candidate challenging the incumbent president (who by inference will work to get the Executive Presidency to continue) and that the whole of the opposition will back this candidate – the so called Common Candidate.(CC). The CC will present a manifesto with one item – abolish the Executive Presidency and go home. He will be replaced by a non Executive President with the powers held by the Executive President being transferred to a Prime Minister.
I am not a lawyer, but a simple citizen. I am using my right to examine these set of proposals critically, as it will adversely affect me and mine in the future.
