The Constitution confers certain powers on the President which are not meant to be shared with anyone. Determining the timing of Presidential and Parliamentary elections within the broad parameters laid down in the Constitution, are two such powers. Even the Ministers who are part of the Executive charged with the direction and control of the Government have not been made parties to the decision making process on these two matters. The framers of the constitution have treated these matters with the sanctity they deserve and provided this safeguard in order to ensure that future Presidents would act in a spirit of statesmanship rather than for political expediency.

The constitutional provisions were no doubt intended to keep the subject above the level of garrulous politicians. But sadly for the country nothing is sacred for our politicians. The timing of the Presidential Election and the Parliamentary elections has been made the subject of speculation and wishful thinking and pontifical statements by all and sundry. Government politicians; VIPs, LIPs (Less Important Persons), clowns and big mouths with small brains, have all joined the charade making conflicting pronouncements; that the Presidential election would be held in early 2010, the President would run his full term, Parliamentary elections would be held before the Presidential election or that both elections would be held simultaneously. They have only omitted to say that there will be no elections of any kind! Obviously, many of the pronouncements are fibs as only one of them can be true. I wish our media had taken a collective decision not to give publicity to such speculation. Some did hark back to JRJ’s remarks about rolling back the electoral map and some also flew kites about electing a life President, the equivalent of a hereditary monarchy.

One of the earliest to put his foot in the mouth was the Minister of Transport. Carried away by the euphoria of one of the early Provincial Council elections he said that a General Election would follow very soon. The President obviously was more astute and had other ideas. He knew that political survival would be better served by holding the Presidential election first. He knew that the euphoria of the war victory would wear out sooner than later and could be exploited to maximum effect only if the election campaign is only around him as it happens in a Presidential election. Hence the statement made by Dulles with his affected profundity was contradicted by one of the two Yapas, presumably on the President’s instructions, The President himself broached the subject at meetings with all and sundry; Pradeshiya Sabha members, Teacher appointees, Samurdhi animators, three wheeler drivers etc, etc. He would speak of the dates for the holding of different elections and the arguments for and against them. It was fun to him at the time.

The President has now found that the best laid plan has gone awry. With the advent of the Sarath factor he has realised that he was not going to be the sole heir to the votes that can be won by donning the "war hero’ or the ‘deshapremi’ garb. Sarath Fonseka could well eat into good part of this vote bank.