Lanka challenges: Parliament poll, LTTE network

The upcoming election to the Sri Lankan Parliament, slated for August 17, is yet another high-stakes gamble for not only President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe but also former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Sirisena’s dissolution of Parliament, which he had promised on April 23 after 100 days in office, comes 10 months before the term of the 225-member House was to end.  In the normal course, elections were due only in April 2016.
Ever since Sirisena won the presidential election in January 2015 — as the common candidate of the opposition parties against Rajapaksa — and appointed a minority government headed by Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP), there has been speculation over the timing of parliamentary elections. The failure of parties to reach a consensus on electoral reforms — which has stalled the 20th Amendment — added to the political uncertainty. The international community, especially the US and the UK, which had thrown its weight behind Sirisena against Rajapaksa in the January 2015 elections, was also showing signs of impatience at the elections being delayed. However, now President Sirisena is on course to keep his promise of ensuring a new government by September.
With the island republic now in election mode, President Sirisena’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and Wickremesinghe’s UNP have to get their act together. The two leading parties, which joined hands to defeat Rajapaksa, are at loggerheads. At stake are not only the political future of Sirisena and Wickremesinghe but also the survival of the SLFP and the UNP — and all of this depends on the much-reviled Rajapaksa, who has made a perceptible political recovery in the six months since he lost the presidential election.
The UNP, with about 40 seats in Parliament, needs to nearly treble its strength for a clear majority. That is a tough call though the UNP is free of the virulent factionalism that plagues the SLFP. When Sirisena quit the government of Rajapaksa, he did not leave the party; and, Rajapaksa stepped down from his party post.
In the event, the SLFP emerged stronger for Rajapaksa’s exit after Sirisena won the election.
DNA

Lanka challenges: Parliament poll, LTTE network

The upcoming election to the Sri Lankan Parliament, slated for August 17, is yet another high-stakes gamble for not only President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe but also former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sirisenas dissolution of Parliament, which he had promised on April 23 after 100 days in office, comes 10 months before the term of the 225-member House was to end. In the normal course, elections were due only in April 2016. Ever since Sirisena won the presidential election in January 2015 as the common candidate of the opposition parties against Rajapaksa and appointed a minority government headed by Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP), there has been speculation over the timing of parliamentary elections. The failure of parties to reach a consensus on electoral reforms which has stalled the 20th Amendment added to the political uncertainty. The international community, especially the US and the UK, which had thrown its weight behind Sirisena against Rajapaksa in the January 2015 elections, was also showing signs of impatience at the elections being delayed. However, now President Sirisena is on course to keep his promise of ensuring a new government by September. With the island republic now in election mode, President Sirisenas Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and Wickremesinghes UNP have to get their act together. The two leading parties, which joined hands to defeat Rajapaksa, are at loggerheads. At stake are not only the political future of Sirisena and Wickremesinghe but also the survival of the SLFP and the UNP and all of this depends on the much-reviled Rajapaksa, who has made a perceptible political recovery in the six months since he lost the presidential election. The UNP, with about 40 seats in Parliament, needs to nearly treble its strength for a clear majority. That is a tough call though the UNP is free of the virulent factionalism that plagues the SLFP. When Sirisena quit the government of Rajapaksa, he did not leave the party; and, Rajapaksa stepped down from his party post. In the event, the SLFP emerged stronger for Rajapaksas exit after Sirisena won the election. DNA