Sri Lanka’s presidential election is just three days away, and the excitement is reaching fever pitch. This is a pivotal election for Sri Lanka as it will determine its future. Consequently, countries worldwide are closely following the developments in this election.
The second country in Asia to reach the political peak
After this election, Sri Lanka will become the latest country in South Asia to reach the maximum level of political tension. Pakistan has been in this situation for a long time.
Recently, Bangladesh was also under stress, but Bangladesh still has a chance to escape. However, it is tough to escape from such situations in the political system in South Asia. After Pakistan, Sri Lanka will become the second country to be destroyed politically.
This unfortunate situation didn’t happen suddenly. It results from a gradual rise in political fanaticism over a long period. The situation in Sri Lanka has been deteriorating for a long time.
The journey started with one political party
It’s important to remember that all South Asian countries were once colonies of foreign countries and had to fight for their freedom. After gaining independence, each country, including Sri Lanka, started to develop in its own way.
Sri Lanka’s parliamentary history began with the United National Party, but the party eventually split, forming the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.
This is common in politics, where individuals who once worked together towards a common goal during the freedom struggle later pursue their political agendas.
This pattern can be likened to the creation of life from a single cell.
If political parties are less, the country is stable
“When a country’s political landscape is dominated by only two parties, the country’s stability is usually assured as the two parties take turns in power.
However, in South Asian politics, including Sri Lanka, this is not the case. The political parties in these countries often prioritise their own survival over the country’s development.”
This situation arose in Sri Lanka from the beginning. A straightforward example is the transport service in Sri Lanka.
The United National Party’s colour is green, and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s colour is blue.
At the end of every election, the desire to colour the buses of the National Transport Service in the colour of the winning party shows how ignorant the people of Sri Lanka are.
Although these are simple examples, they have become the main factors that contributed to the country’s destruction today.
The end of the political party system
The history of Sri Lankan politics began with two parties and has now come to its final stage. It seems that the politicians and the people of Sri Lanka are united.
The instability in the country’s politics is caused by both sides thinking similarly. This year’s presidential election will follow the same pattern as previous elections.
Despite the world’s advancements, the way elections are held in Sri Lanka remains unchanged. Similarly, the post-election events are likely to unfold as they have.
It’s disheartening to see how Sri Lanka’s political stability has deteriorated over the years. Initially, there were only two political parties, but now there are numerous political parties and organisations, making the political landscape quite chaotic.
A striking example is the staggering 38 candidates in this year’s presidential election. It’s quite absurd, isn’t it? But amidst all this, who’s noticing the underlying damage?
An unfortunate change
Have you noticed how perplexing Sri Lankan politics has become? None of the main political parties from the early days of Sri Lanka’s parliament are active today.
The leader of the first political party, the United National Party, is running as an independent candidate in the current election.
The country’s politics have been in disarray for quite some time and are currently in a difficult-to-conceive state. This political confusion will destroy the country, and there will be a very difficult period after this year’s presidential election.
The Indian factor
What will India do in this election? Sajith Premadasa will definitely receive India’s support. However, if Sajith loses, India will be a significant factor in determining Sri Lanka’s future, as this situation has occurred throughout history.
If Anura Kumara wins, India’s influence will be powerful, which would be a bad situation as India will not support Anura.
It is difficult to predict how Sri Lanka’s fate will be resolved, especially when the political and economic situation of the region is collapsing. The situation could be very severe.
When politics is a game
This is what happens when a country turns politics into a game. This is what has happened to Sri Lanka today. What happened to Pakistan is now happening to Sri Lanka.
However, the politicians of Sri Lanka did not understand this. The situation that has arisen today is the result of the gradual division of the democratic history of Sri Lanka, which started with two parties and has evolved into many parties.
After this presidential election, no stable political party system will be left in Sri Lanka. It is a miserable situation. Politicians do not understand the destruction that will happen if the politics of a country is indefinitely divided.
Helpless powerful politicians
The influential politicians in Sri Lanka are currently facing a challenging situation. They no longer have the support of strong political parties as they did in the past.
Ranil Wickramasinghe, the most experienced politician in Sri Lanka, used to be a prominent member of the country’s largest political party.
However, in the upcoming presidential election, he is running as an independent candidate, which is seen as a decline in his political standing. Sajith Premadasa, another influential figure, was also a vital member of the United National Party.
Still, now he is running as part of a political alliance and does not have a permanent political base. Similarly, Namal Rajapakse, despite being a presidential candidate, lacks the backing of a solid political party. These candidates are promoted as individuals rather than representatives of established political parties.
Strong characters seem weak
Look at some of the influential figures in Sri Lanka’s political landscape. Wimal Weerawansa has been a significant figure in the country’s political history.
However, in the current election, Dilith Jayaweera, who is unlikely to win, is receiving support.
Why has Weerawansa become politically isolated? Udaya Gammampila is another notable figure who is now a marginalised politician and also supports Dilith Jayaweera.
Wimal and Udaya, who previously held positions of power in the country, are now both marginalised figures.
Consider the case of Sarath Fonseka. He is a presidential candidate, but his meetings are sparsely attended, and he appears isolated.
Numerous other politicians are in similar situations.
The Janatha Vimukti Peramuna has been an independent party for a long time. However, recently, the party has formed alliances.
When a political party forms alliances, it may indicate that the party does not have significant power. This seems to be the current situation for all parties in Sri Lankan politics.
The future of Sri Lanka is on a rough road
After this year’s presidential election, the situation is expected to worsen. The current political environment will become even more fragmented, which is not encouraging for the country’s people. Therefore, this presidential election will determine Sri Lanka’s future.
