The performance of the Sihala Urumaya at the last general election was pathetic. It couldn’t have been worse. I think it got what it really deserved.

The people punished them for what it had done to S. L. Gunesekera. As we all can recall, the S.U. lost even the 2000 general election, but by a sporting chance when all sundry figures of voting were assembled into one figure entitlement to one National List membership in parliament was discovered by the Commissioner of Elections and the good tidings conveyed to party. Who was to be the S.U. nominee was but a foregone conclusion. Even at that juncture SL’s name stood transmitted to the commissioner as the SU’s nominee in the event of national list entitlement. But once the news reached the party than did manoeuvrings start from within. Suddenly they found S.L. wanting. "He is drinking. He did not prostrate at the feet of the Buddhist prelates" they alleged. In the end, SL’s was dropped and Tilak Karunaratnw was appointed.

In the meantime, the nation was watching what was unfolding in the party with disgust. The people who had chosen to vote with the SU did so to create a force to counterbalance the government to be formed. They knew their votes were not going to help form a government.

The verdict the people have given is now history.

Does the SU have a future? There certainly is. But the revival of the party requires the present leadership to own up to their wrong doings and appologise to SL.

Joe Perera
Kadawata

A.