It was 2014. The euphoria of Sri Lanka's greatest military triumph that had propelled their election victory four years earlier was fast diminishing; catalyzed by growing government corruption and power plays. The president knew that if he'd stay out his second term, he'd lose it all. Power, legacy and everything he'd built for the past 20 years.
So he devised a plan. A plan so good that Charles Ponzi himself would have been delighted to call it his. He called for Presidential elections in late 2014 and sent out his most trusted associate, a down to earth man from Polonnaruwa, to join a re-emerging opposition as the common candidate.
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| Source: Koombiyo episode 56 [click here] |
And the rest, as they say, is history... frustrated supporters defected and rallied behind the 'common candidate'. Opposition parties, demoralized in the past few years, spurred with a new leap of faith. But more importantly, public opinion swayed in the hopes of a Yahapalanaya government ending the tyranny and thuggery of the old.
Had he done too much? was the damage irreversible? our president wondered on occasion.
His trusted associate, though faithful, could slip and cause a blunder that could spiral this well crafted plan out of control. It is safe to assume our president spent a few uneasy weeks leading up to the election, in constant fear and tense fits. Come January 2015, the common candidate, with awe inspiring promises and dawn of a new era to Sri Lankan politics, came into power and was sworn in as Sri Lanka's new president.
So far, the Old Master's plan was on its tracks...
Soon after, our plot master ran for general elections and became a member of the parliament. The once mighty lion was now a runt among the hyenas. Or so people thought.
He then regrouped his surviving followers and revamped his fight from grassroots level. His coalition blamed the Yahapalana government for failed projects that he himself had started when in office. Stalled mega construction projects such as ports and airports in the south-east, adverse weather and floods in the west, government debts and foreign loans all were made to seem as if they were the incompetencies of the new government.
Over the next three years, 'good governance' would be mocked, humiliated and reminded time and again on their failure to deliver promised changes.
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| Source: FTT tribute to Sri Lankan Ads [click here] |
Meanwhile, the confidante (who was now enjoying power as president) started making his moves to discredit himself in the eyes of a watchful public. He tangled himself in Enrique and bras, betrayed 'good governance' commitments to boot, brought to light a monetary scandal within his own party and recently mixed up 30 and 70 at the independence day celebrations. All these trivial incidents added up in eyes of the public... soon people were making comparisons with current president and the old, from their charisma and posture to diplomacy and governance.
The Old Master's plan was still on its tracks...
In late 2017, local government elections were announced. In the grand scheme of things, this here was the first real hurdle. The ex-president formed a new party, and set up his campaign under a new symbol - pohottuwa - a flowering bud, a new beginning. The apparently hibernating lion (lions don't hibernate) was ready to wake from its slumber and regain its position among the elite of beasts.
Given a choice to a stressed voter, they almost always oppose the ruling government, there were no exceptions this time either. Disgruntled by the short comings and apathy of his trusted associate's rule, public flocked to vote in record numbers.
His party won. Step One was complete. He was in the game once more.
After all... this was his game all along.
[Above is a source of parody, satire, and humor and is for entertainment purposes only. Said posts or stories may or may not use real names, always in semi-real and/or mostly, or substantially, fictitious ways.]
