Rajapaksa brothers opt out of Sri Lanka’s November 14 general elections

None of the Rajapaksa brothers, who dominated Sri Lankan politics for decades until they were booted out of office in 2022, will contest in the island nation’s general elections next month.

As nominations for the November 14 parliamentary polls closed on Friday (October 11, 2024), the list of candidates fielded by the Rajapaksas’ Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP or People’s Front) showed former President and former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, 78, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, 75, former Irrigation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa, 81, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, 73, are not running.

Further, Mr. Mahinda’s son Namal Rajapaksa, who was a Cabinet Minister in Mr. Gotabaya’s ousted administration, is not contesting but is on the party’s “national list”, which includes names of members to be nominated for extra seats the party may secure, based on its share of votes polled.

Mr. Namal ran for presidency in the September 2024 election and came fourth, obtaining just 2.57% of the total votes. The Rajapaksa clan dominated the Cabinet in the last administration and several family members held key positions in the government as well.

The recent presidential contest, the first election to be held after the island’s 2022 crisis, saw popular opposition legislator Anura Kumara Dissanayake emerge winner with 42.31 % of the votes, in a drastic shakeup of Sri Lanka’s political establishment.

President Dissanayake’s National People’s Power [NPP] coalition, led by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna ( JVP), is eyeing a majority in the 225member House. The NPP must increase its seat share from three in the last Parliament, to 113 for a simple majority that Mr. Dissanayake will need to take forward his policy and legislative pledges.

‘Fear of defeat’

In addition to the Rajapaksas, former Presidents Ranil Wickremesinghe and Maithripala Sirisena, too, have opted out of the November 14 race. Opposition politician and former Cabinet Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka and hardline nationalist politician Wimal Weerawansa have also backed out.

NPP member and former parliamentarian Bimal Rathnayake said by voting for Mr. Dissanayake, the Sri Lankan people have done “a great thing”. “These corrupt and racist politicians have decided not to contest to avoid defeat,” he told local media.

Asked about the SLPP’s decision not to field any of the senior Rajapaksas, party general secretary Sagara Kariyawasam said Mr. Mahinda — who was in Parliament, cumulatively, for over four decades — had “done his part”. “He rescued the country from war, led us through our country’s best developmental phase. He has done his best,” Mr. Kariyawasam told The Hindu , without commenting on the decision of the other Rajapaksa brothers. However, Mr. Chamal’s son Shasheendra Rajapaksa is contesting from the southern Monaragala district, he said.

Many observers said the decision of the former political heavyweights to quit the race reflected the churn from lingering outcome of the people’s struggle or ‘Janatha Aragalaya’ of 2022. In addition to demanding Mr. Gotabaya’s resignation, the protesters had called for “system change”.

Senior Sri Lankan journalist Marianne David observed: “One of the best outcomes of the Aragalaya is ‘lifetime’ politicians stepping down and retiring or choosing not to contest the general elections, knowing full well they will be shown the door by the people.”

Source: The Hindu
--Agencies