Hare and Tortoise run for Sri Lanka Presidency

Who’s going to win the Sri Lanka Presidential election race, the speedy hare, or the slow tortoise?

It is a forgoing conclusion that the former Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa who started the race early even before the announcement of presidential election like the speedy hare has proudly taking the lead nearly three weeks after announcement of candidacy.

But his main contender the tortoise from the ruling UNF coalition is still to enter the racing track as there is no sign of desperate UNP group of front and back benchers in parliament forcing their leader Prime Minster Ranil Wickremesinghe to nominate a candidate.

Mr. Wickremesinghe, an expert in political chess game and shrewd tactician famous for his marking time strategy is not in a hurry even to give a signal to ‘get set’ for his party contestant.

But the tortoise that is now on his mark to ‘get set and go’ is impatiently waiting for starting signal amidst massive cheering of his promoters.

UNP leader is reportedly against ‘any nomination’ until the alliance with smaller parties is formed and the adoption of constitution for the new party with the UNP at the helm, is finalized.

Meanwhile the Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s wild run for presidency with a foul start is now losing its steam and vigor as his weakness were being exposed to public at every mass gathering.

He made a first blunder when he banned media from covering his much hyped youth forum which was only a very poor one man show, a political analyst said.

Gotabaya is now distancing from main stream media as his advisors barred media personnel from asking questions from the arrogant candidate, he claimed.

Gotabaya’s weak public relations and lack of oratorical and debating skills will come into light in the run up to elections another political commentator said.

Political parties are getting ready to expose Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s past deals, corruption, malpractices during the previous regime and his involvement in disappearances of persons during JVP insurgency and North East war period when he was serving in the Army and Defense Ministry.

It has been revealed that SLPP supporters had to distribute crackers among vendors at Maharagma 'pola' (fair) before hand to be lit at the up visit of Gotabaya to the area scheduled for this week due dwindling public support.

Be that as it may, Minister Sajith Premadasa an experienced politician, a member of the parliament since 2000 having held many senior positions within the UNP is waiting his leader’s signal to enter the race.

Gotabaya has slowed down his speed as his opponent is still not insight .

Like tortoise Sajith will take advantage of political inexperience of Gotabaya and this UNP stalwart’s self-launched welfare programmes targeting the rural masses have already won him a strong support base, political analyst said.