Socialism & The Electoral Failure Of “The left”
By Kamal Nissanka –September 9, 2015
Kamal Nissanka
Searching a common candidate for 2015 Presidential election and campaigning for the victory of Mr. Maithripala Sirisena is a unique political experience. In this campaign activists who are labeled as “leftists” (whether old or new) played a vital and massive role in criticizing Mahinda Rajapaksaregime and the familial rule. On the other hand two frontline Jathika Hela Urumaya( JHU) MPs Patali Champika Ranawaka and Rev Athuraliye Rathana who fired initial salvos against the regime also possess a left orientation . Janatha Vimiukthi Peramuna (JVP) being outside the mainstream of common candidate platform courageously slammed the Rajapaksa familial rule in and out. The political bureaus of Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and Communist Party of Sri Lanka (CPSL) split and Dr Jayampathy Wickramaratne, Lal Wijenayake(Attorney-at-Law) and Raja Uswetakeiyawa were in forefront of the search of a common candidate and subsequent campaigning.
Most of those former leftists who involved in the presidential campaign, thought that Ranil Wickremesingheas a reformed personality. Former editor of the ‘Ravaya” newspaper senior journalist Victor Ivan is also one of such persons.
However JVPs stance from the beginning of the campaign for presidential election was controversial and as they did not contest the presidential election their support base voted for Maithripala. The JVP appeared as a partner of victory after the election and became a participant of national executive committee. Its campaign also directed at parliamentary election and had already decided to contest alone.
General Election
Maithri votes at the presidential election were distributed among United National Party (UNP,) Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchhi (ITAK) and JVP at the recently held parliamentary election but the latter’s performance at parliamentary election was below 5 percent. One argument prevailing is that as the people were polarized between pro Mahinda and anti-Mahinda duality a significant section of people who associated with JVP voted for either to betel leaf or elephant symbol not to the bell symbol. With this electoral set back JVP‘s manifesto also became insignificant. Read More
