Presidential Election And The Challenges Facing The Tamil National Alliance
Shanthan Thamba
On the 9th of January 2014 the Sri Lankan Presidential election results would have been announced. It is needless to say that, this election is a two horse race between the incumbent Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa and his erstwhile secretary of his party turned his contender, Mr Maithiripala Srisena. One of them is expected to be declared elected as the President by the election commissioner on the 9th of January. There are about nineteen other names on the ballot paper, but every voter including those ‘candidates’ know that they are not in the running.
The incumbent President has two more years in the office but he decided to call this election now. ‘A week is a long time in politics’ is one of the famous quotes of the 20th century; by the former British Prime Minister Mr Harold Wilson. Mr Rajapaksa’s two years in government is a hell of a long time. If one wants and willing; it is long enough time to accomplish a substantial social, economic and political program. There is nothing in the way to the present government to implement their program. There is no terrorism to fight; there is a legislature where this government has the absolute majority.
Why did the President choose to sacrifice his power and opted to go for a poll prematurely? Some say it is due to the astrological considerations. This may or may not be plausible. However there are people who believe that the President who has been a shrewd and an innate political operator for more than four decades; assessed that he has a better chance now than in two years’ time. This also shows that he foresaw further decline of his popularity and he could not find a way to reverse this trend. Thus the scene is set by Mr Rajapaksa for the Sri Lankan voters to exercise their franchise.Read More
