The UNF-JVP combine has settled the issue at confidential talks involving key negotiators, including Ranil Wickremesinghe, Mangala Samaraweera, Tissa Attanayake, Anura Kumara Dissanayake and retired Army Chief General Sarath Fonseka.

 Well informed sources told The Island that the JVP had been reluctant to accept Wickremesinghe as their (joint opposition) prime ministerial candidate though General Fonseka strongly supported the UNP condition. Sources said that General Fonseka had emphasised the importance of resolving the issue immediately to enable them to move forward.The former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) has said that fielding of a common candidate would very much depend on an early settlement of this issue.

 At one point, the JVP had suggested that a caretaker cabinet could be named leaving prime ministerial post vacant. The JVP subsequently withdrew opposition after being told that the very success of their campaign would heavily depend on Wickremesinghe’s appeal to UNP supporters. 

 Sources said that UNF-JVP dispute had been a major obstacle though many believed that UNF proposals to General Fonseka would cause trouble.

 Sources said that finally negotiators had reached an ageement on Fonseka’s candidature at the forthcoming presidential election. They also agreed to declare Wickremesinghe as their prime ministerial candidate.

 Sources said that had talks collapsed on this issue, the UNF would have been forced to field Wickremesinghe as their candidate. Sources revealed that government even on Friday night (Nov 20) believed Wickremesinghe would contest the polls and the government leadership directed UPFA propaganda propagate that line. But once the government had received reliable information regarding the outcome of the latest UNF-JVP talks, the governent had immediately inquired from a close associate of Wickremesinghe whether the UNP leader was quiting the contest thereby paving the way for Fonseka to come forward.

 Asked whether Wickremesinghe’s decision was final, the UNP official had said that nothing could be changed now.    

Responding to our queries, sources said that Fonseka’s candidature would be officially declared immediately after President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared presidential polls ahead of parliamentary polls. Sources said that the UNF and JVP agreed that their candidate whould not contest on either UNP or JVP ticket but use another registered political entity.

 In a bid to prevent the government from receiving advanced information regarding their strategy, Wickremesinghe has restricted the involvement of MPs. Even those who had been close to Wickremesinghe had not been privy to secret negotiations leaving Messrs Wickremesinghe, Attanayake, Samaraweera and Anura Kumara Dissanayake in charge. Sources said that some MPs were denied access to prevent them from rushing to various media organisations or pass on information to the government and embassies.

Among the persons kept in the dark was one-time political heavyweight who went around saying that he had even the blessings of India to be the opposition’s common candidate. Sources said that this was nothing but a barefaced lie. 

Speculation is rife that the Opposition alliance had the blessings of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Sources said that even embassies believed it was going to be a three cornered fight with the JVP fielding their own man. SLFP MP dissident Samaraweera went to the extent of claiming that they were looking for eight or nine candidates whereas they had once choice. 

One of the highest paid NGO operators in Colombo is believed to have told many embassies that Wickremesinghe would fight it out with Rajapaksa at the presidential election as an understanding between the UNF and JVP was unlikely.