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ShubhamTiwari9976
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With no apparent attempt by the government to crack down on communal
violence even after a bout of deadly rioting in 2013. The departure of the Sri Lanka
Muslim Congress from the ruling coalition to the Sirisena camp just days ahead of
the election, was the final blow against the Rajapaksa regime. Mr. Sirisena rode to
victory on an out-and-out anti-Rajapaksa vote that rendered irrelevant his own
perceived handicaps: the absence of personal charisma; a late start; doubts about
whether a candidate of a diverse opposition group could provide a stable
leadership; and the lack of resources in comparison to what the incumbent had at
his disposal. He had to his advantage a rural base in the north-central districts of
Sri Lanka, and aside from the backing of a ginger group of the ruling SLFP that
defected along with him, the backing of the main opposition United National Party,
and the Jathika Hela Urumaya, a party of Buddhist monks. With this he managed
to poll nearly half of all Sinhalese votes cast, sweeping up in addition the Tamil
and Muslim votes to win 51.28 per cent of the vote share compared to his
opponent’s 47.58. The outcome is an unequivocal victory for democracy and a
lesson to the whole region in peaceful regime change.
The new President of Sri Lanka has his work cut out. To begin with, the
focus is bound to be on Mr. Sirisena’s campaign promise to abolish the powerful
Executive Presidency, which will require a constitutional amendment supported by
two-thirds of Parliament, a difficult proposition. One option before him is to
dissolve Parliament and call a fresh election a year ahead of schedule. The
coalition itself is made up of disparate and mutually antagonistic parties that must
learn to work together. UNP leader Ranil Wickramasinghe has already been named
the new Prime Minister. Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who, after
retiring from politics in 2005 re-emerged on the scene to mentor the SLFP
defectors, may well emerge as a third power centre. Quickly.2007