(Primus inter pares)

As the 'soap opera' unfolds and proposals by an 'unholy' alliance of opposition parties are being considered by the 'yet to say yes' 'bride to be'  a.k.a the General, the hero and survivor of a brutal LTTE suicide attack,  voters at large and the General in particular have many issues to consider. Foremost amongst these are (a) the United Opposition's condition of Executive Premiership to Ranil Wickremesinghe and (b) the voter base of the common candidate.

Under the Westminster system of Parliamentary Democracy, Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) inherited at Independence the tried and tested system of Cabinet Government where  a Cabinet of Ministers headed by a Prime Minister collectively assumed responsibility for good governance. The Prime Minister was 'primus inter pares' or 'first amongst equals'.There was no provision for an Executive Prime Minister. In fact all countries which adopted the Westminster system (former British colonies) followed this very democratic system of Cabinet rule. There were no variations. The only exception was a short period in our post independence history when Ranil Wickremesinghe assumed such powers.

Between 2002 and 2004 as Prime Minister RW usurped executive power constitutionally vested in the Executive President and played the role of a 'de facto' Executive Prime Minister in this manner :

- ignored the legally elected executive head of state

- ignored his cabinet and ruled through a "CABAL' comprising old school cronies

- without authority from the executive head of state or his Cabinet of Ministers or Parliament, unilaterally signed an agreement handing over a chunk of our motherland to a group of terrorists at the behest of a Norwegian puppeteer.

Not even a legally elected Executive President has abused 'executive' power' in this manner in Sri Lanka.

Ironically, it is this same gentleman who is now seeking executive power as PM to bring democracy back to Sri Lanka. And that too by plotting a path to the highest echelons of power through a small doggy entrance of a kitchen door at the former General's residence. Not through a mandate from the people.

The second issue is the voter base of the common candidate presumed to be the 'not so reluctant' General. To have any chance of victory the common candidate must count on the following voter groupings.

- the block UNP vote now estimated at a low percentage 30's as against the impressive percentage 40's of the pre Ranil W era. Majority of these die hard UNP voters laughed at and ridiculed the war effort, condemned the Sri Lankan forces to an inevitable defeat by an invincible terror group. The General and his comrades at arms proved all these people wrong. Can the General say no to these votes ? Or will it be  a shame vote he is forced to solicit ?

- the JVP vote. When the armed services were in full swing a few years ago and on the verge of victory over the LTTE the JVP scuttled the war effort by launching an insurgency in the South forcing the  diversion of troops to quell the southern rebellion providing the LTTE another lease of life. Also the JVP threatened the families of army personnel and killed many. Can the General if he has any self respect say " I need these votes to win" ?

- votes of service personnel. How many of these voters can he win over when he has trained the 'guns of war' against their 'Commander in Chief' ? Not many.

The path to heroism was long and arduous. To ignominy it's only a short step back. In his wisdom I hope the General will be guided by rational thought and not revenge.