Green man has the last laugh

I suppose congratulations are in order after your performance on Wednesday, against all odds and despite what the Blues did to you and your party to try and stop you from winning. At long last, those people who said that you are not a good leader will now have to eat their own words!

Green Man, though everyone knew that Satellite and her team were becoming unpopular by the day, frankly, the extent of your victory did surprise most of us. Why, you were able to win in areas like Kalutara, Galle and even Matara and Gampaha- and I'm sure Avamangala and Satellite must be blushing over the latter results. Perhaps it would be fair to say that your uncle Junius would have been proud of you; it's a pity that he is not around to witness your victory.

Anyway, Green Man, I hope you will not repeat the same mistakes that Satellite did. Because you will not have an absolute majority of your own in the House you too will have to keep the Hakeems and Thondas happy. In addition you will have to accommodate the Seeni Bolas and the Gas Labus as well. So, it won't be an easy task but we hope that we won't have yet another election next year!

What you must also realize that is most people, while disbelieving the theory that you have struck a deal with the Tigers also believe that you can make the business of daily living a little less burdensome for them. I know you told us during the campaign that miracles cannot be worked overnight but all the same people expect results from you and therefore you will do well to remember that the Blues were thrown out after just one year in office!

Then, there is of course the business of dealing with Satellite. I know the lady tried to make a fool out of you during the campaign but you have had the last laugh. So, maybe now is the time to let bygones be bygones and start afresh. And now that Ratne has packed his bags and left without so much as saying a decent goodbye, it is time for the leaders of the country to forget their petty differences and sort out Sri Lanka's problems, instead of trying to upstage each other. Think about it, will you?

Green Man, I also hope that you will instill some discipline within your own ranks because that is something that Satellite failed to do and for which she now has had to pay the price. We say that because we know from past experience that there are some rogue elephants in the green camp and we know you had to keep them in order to win the elections-but just make sure that they are under control.

Anyway, Green Man, you deserve praise for keeping your head when all about you were losing theirs and heaping blame on you. We must now wish you well, because you will need all the encouragement that you can get. And, by the way, if Satellite, still gets late for those Cabinet meetings, don't bother to wait-just go ahead!

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha.

PS- I feel sorry for your classmate AB, though. He had that brand new official house of his furnished and equipped according to his taste, but didn't have the luck to move in. Anyway, if he ever runs out of a job, he can always become an astrologer-why, his absence or presence in a party is the best prediction of victory or defeat, and that is a better indicator than all those other astrologers put together!