Elephants
facing extinction need more than spectacles
In the Land of Never Return, Junius and Ranasinghe were discussing
the prospects of the Party they once led in Paradise…
"So, the final decision has been given," Junius said,
"we won't be able to contest the municipal elections in Colombo…"
"That
is what I would call 'naduth hamuduruwange, baduth hamuduruwange'..."
Ranasinghe said.
"I am sad because my nephew is partly responsible for this…"
"Remember, they used to call it the 'Uncle Nephew Party' and
'unge nedeyange pakshaya'…" Ranasinghe recalled.
"Yes,
but now they call it the 'unanduwak nethi paksahaya'…"
Junius lamented.
"I am also sorry because the man who masterminded my campaign,
couldn't get his own nomination list right this time…"
"And my nephew also doesn't seem to be able to get anything
right these days…" Junius said.
"Why
do you say that?"
"Why, he sacked that Mahinda chap and he is now threatening
to go to courts against him…"
"That will be another ugly legal battle…" Ranasinghe
agreed, "and he should be especially careful when he is dealing
with Mahindas these days…"
"Why is that?" Junius wanted to know.
"Why,
one Mahinda is threatening legal action, another has already left
the party and obtained a cabinet portfolio, it was a Mahinda who
refused our nomination list and of course our biggest headache is
the Mahinda with the 'chinthanaya'…"
"That is true…" Junius agreed, "but I think
my nephew's position is also threatened…"
"Some
people seem to think that changing the leadership will solve all
our party's problems automatically…" Ranasinghe observed.
"I don't think so," Junius said, "remember, what
we did to the blues in the eighties when we removed Mrs. B from
the scene and Maithri, Anura and Hector started fighting with each
other for the leadership…"
"The end result was that the blues were in the opposition for
seventeen long years…" Ranasinghe recalled.
"Now,
come to think of it, we have been in the opposition for twelve long
years…" Junius counted.
"So, even for our party, it wouldn't automatically mean 'avoth
Karu, paayai hiru'…" Ranasinghe said.
"It is not so much Karu that I am worried about…"
Junius said, "but we must be careful about all these people
who cross over and join us. They can easily be bought back with
the promise of a Cabinet portfolio…"
"Like Ronnie during our time…" Ranasinghe recalled.
"But
what would happen to the elections in Colombo now?" Junius
asked, "it seems a lost cause, isn't it?"
"Well," Ranasinghe said, "Sira seems to think he
can still pull it off…"
"How can he be so sure?" Junius wanted to know, "I
am not so sure 'me kawda, mokada karanne' will work this time around…"
"But he says he will support an independent group and then
get them elected…"
"We
will have to trust Sira to work out something…" Junius
said.
"Well," Ranasinghe said, "to start with he has got
the 'spectacles' as the symbol of the group he is supporting…"
"These days" Junius said, "the elephant could do
with a pair of spectacles for his short-sightedness…"
Ranasinghe didn't disagree with that.
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