My dear Mr. T.,
I thought of writing to you when I heard that you were making arrangements for your grandson to succeed you and finding life difficult within your own party.
Of course, Mr. T., given the kind of shrewdness that you possess I have no doubt you will succeed in your maneuvers. You are after all a person who got what you wanted from three Presidents - DBW being the only exception; and without your support, he didn't do bloody well at the end....
Anyway, continuing the family tradition is nothing new to those of us in this part of the world: the Bhuttos are doing it in Pakistan, the Gandhis do it in India and the Bandaranaikes are doing it in Sri Lanka. So, why shouldn't the Thondamans do it in the CWC?
Mr. T., is it true that some people in your Union are also asking questions about the finances of your organisation? You mustn't worry about these things at your age, you know. Just give a call to one of the many businessmen willing to help you out. I'm sure they will gladly part with, say, 20 million, and you won't even have to "cook the books" as Lucky likes to say!
How is Satellite treating you? You shouldn't get annoyed with her when she is three hours late to meet you, of course. As we have seen in the past few years she is an expert at what we call "watchful expectancy and masterly inactivity". She is also quite good at coming on TV and explaining why everything went wrong. She seems to have all the requirements of a good politician doesn't she?
But, Mr. T., you must also not forget the leading greenhorn. So far, he had done little or nothing except to expel some people from his Working Committee. Even that has landed him in a soup within his own party. But that doesn't mean you should abandon him. Satellite has enough people in her team to ensure that they will make all the necessary mistakes enabling the greenhorn to ride into power in maybe two to three years time. So just pay him a visit occasionally, will you?
What is Velu saying? You are doing a fine job as his spokesman: asking Satellite not to raid boarding houses in Colombo, getting that Kotaka - something fellow transferred and even trying to introduce clauses into the Professor's package. But just make sure that he doesn't get suspicious of you. We know what happened to Mahattaya don't we?
So, keep on batting, Mr. T., you may even teach your grandson the tricks of your trade. That way, you can make sure that there will be a lot of people remembering the "T" name in the years to come - though not necessarily affectionately!
Yours truly,
Punchi Putha.
PS - Everyone is asking which party you will support at the next elections. We know the answer to that, of course: the winning side. But be careful - that Ashraff fellow is fast becoming the Thondaman of the Muslims. So, watch out....
Gratiaen award : a few owe so much to so many