SJB accepts SLPP’s A’pura challenge

‘Hold LG polls as previously scheduled for March’

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Top Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) spokesperson Mujibur Rahuman says that Wednesday’s SLPP propaganda rally in Anuradhapura had contradicted their much disputed claim the Local Government polls couldn’t be held due to the threat still posed by Covid-19 epidemic.

Pointing out that the SLPP has launched a countrywide campaign regardless of repeated warnings that such gatherings could be super spreader of Covid-19, lawmaker Rahuman said therefore LG polls could be held as scheduled.

“We are contemplating seeking the Election Commission’s response to the ruling party’s Anuradhapura move,” the Colombo District MP told The Island.

Referring to the recent issuance of a gazette regarding the postponement of the LG polls previously scheduled to be held by the third week of March, 2022, lawmaker Rahuman challenged the SLPP to reverse it.

Now that Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa, in the presence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, at the Anuradhapura rally, had declared that the government was ready to face the Opposition challenge, the LG polls could be re-scheduled, he said.

Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon handles Provincial Council and Local Government portfolio in the absence of State Minister Roshan Ranasinghe who is overseas.

Lawmaker Rahuman said that State Minister Ranasinghe was on record as having said that Covid-19 epidemic had compelled them to postpone elections. Against the backdrop of the Anuradhapura rally, the government couldn’t skip scheduled LG polls on the false pretext of Covid-19 threat, the former UNPer said.

The Island sought an explanation from Chairman of the Election Commission Attorney-at-Law Nimal Punchihewa as regards the postponement of LG polls citing Covid-19 threat. Civil society activist Punchihewa emphasized that the gazette issued in that regard didn’t give any specific reason for the polls postponement. Punchihewa said that the EC was ready to conduct the election depending on the government decision. Responding to another query, Punchihewa said that postponement of polls was in line with the relevant constitutional provisions.

Lawmaker Rahuman said that the SLPP quite conveniently failed to address any of the contentious issues -ranging from ruination of Maha season due to hasty ban on fertilizer and agro-chemicals and the growing foreign currency crisis that had caused countrywide shortage of essential items, including medicine.

He pointed out that the absence of any of the ministers representing constituent parties of the SLPP indicated that recent issues, such as a section of the cabinet challenging the government in the Supreme Court over Yugadanavi deal as well as sharp differences over the economic crisis had affected the ruling coalition. Senior SLFPer Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva’s declaration against the move to tax ETF and the EPF couldn’t have happened at a worse time, the SJB MP said.

The SJB spokesperson said that cabinet minister Udaya Gammanpila’s admission that the country is in a debt trap contradicted the current dispensation’s stand on the present crisis. The government recently stripped Susil Premjayantha of his ministerial portfolio for criticizing the SLPP’s agriculture policy, MP Rahuman said. How would they tackle ministers Gammanpila, Weerawansa, Vasudeva Nanayakkara and now Nimal Siripala de Silva? MP Rahuman asked.

The government parliamentary group comprises145 lawmakers with the main constituent having 117 members. The second and the third largest political parties are the SLFP (14 members) and the NFF (??????members), respectively.

Lawmaker Rahuman said that if the SLPP was confident it could reverse its decision and pave the way for LG polls. However, if the SLPP continued to avoid LG polls on the false pretext of the covid-19 threat, it would underscore the crisis the government was in.

“Let the electorate decide,” the MP said, adding that the SJB remained confident of attracting the vote. He also dismissed claims of turmoil within the SJB.

Of the 54 member SJB group in Parliament, several have voted with the government on two controversial votes-on the 20th Amendment on Oct 2020 and the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill in May 2021.SJB dissidents ensured 2/3 majority for the government on both occasions.

MP Rahuman said that though the SLPP boasted of having a 2/3 in Parliament, it couldn’t have at least leaders of the constituent parties at the Anuradhapura meeting. “That is the reality. Their much touted 2/3 didn’t reflect in the current political environment,” the former UNPer said.