Those who have been cast out into the wilderness got what they deserve!

It was reported today that 3 UNP MP’s a couple of Provincial Councilors and other elected officials amounting to 17 have had their party membership suspended due to their disobeying the whip requesting that they not attend the rally at Hyde Park organized by the breakaway faction from the UNP called the United Bhikku Front!

If one looks at this action dispassionately, it was the correct action to take in light of the breaking of the rule which elected members of the party are bound by, namely the Constitution of the Party. These pouting transgressors intend taking Court action to prevent the suspension. Why do they have to resort to a Kangaroo Court that follows the dictats of Govt. to decide their fate. That step is itself playing right into the hands of the Autocratic Presidency, which was what the rally was ostensibly meant to agitate against, but which had more covert overtones, in attempting to discredit the UNP which in all conscience could not support a rally organizes by a front critical of the leadership.

What prompted these people, when their leaders, Sajith Premadasa, Karu Jayasuriya and Dayasiri Jayasekera to abandon them for self preservation is beyond my comprehension. The future of these people is over as far as being elected in future in any form. They must know that. Their attempt at being martyred will not work either, so it is to their pig headedness, realizing they have been caught by the short and curlies by their nemesis that they could not stand and stepped right into the ring of fire.

A party needs to enforce discipline and it is better late than never for the UNP to take a stand and speak with one voice to their very confused flock, who await a clearing up of the dead wood and a reinvigorated party with a new theme, and direction, which can only happen when the cancer that is dissidents are reformed or evicted. It is a tough choice, but in the interests of party unity it is a timely move. It is important that such a clear out took place to face a prospect of political agitation in 2013, when the worst of the excesses of the present regime will become more apparent to the masses when the honeymoon period people have been in so far ends and reality begins to bite.

It is all positive from now and the General has only one option if he is to fulfill his ambition for the country, to join the UNP and work with them.