Last minute desertions undermined Dullas Camp – Prof Jayasumana

By Shamindra Ferdinando

SLPP lawmaker Prof. Channa Jayasumnana yesterday (20) said that several dozens of those who assured and reassured their support to presidential candidate Dullas Alahapperuma had switched their allegiance to UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at the last moment.

The Anuradhapura District MP said that at one point their group was confident of approximately 120 votes. The new entrant to parliament appreciated those who had solidly stood by their man as many succumbed to offers made by the rival camp.

Matara District MP Alahapperuma managed to secure 82 votes against Wickremesinghe’s 134. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena voted first.

Wickremesinghe polled 133 seats in spite of not having a single UNPer in Parliament. In the absence of any other UNPer, Minister Harin Fernando of the SJB functioned as Wickremesinghe’s polling agent.

Responding to The Island queries, Prof. Jayasumana said that they believed MP Alahapperuma had the edge in the wake of Prof. G.L. Peiris, in his capacity as the SLPP Chairman countering SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam followed up by their agreement with the SJB.

Of 225 votes, 219 were declared valid by the Returning Officer Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake.

Prof. Jayasumana said that they simply couldn’t match assurances given by the SLPP. The Viyathmaga activist said that lawmaker Alahapperuma explained the crisis in Parliament when he reminded the House how he declined six duty free vehicle permits as he wanted to do the right thing but such gestures didn’t receive the desired respect.

Prof. Jayasumana appreciated those who publicly declared their support for Wickremesinghe before the vote. The Parliament obviously hadn’t been sensitive to what was going on in the country, the MP said. Obviously, continuing protests against what the public called the corrupt system in place didn’t have real impact on law makers, the MP said.