-By A Staff Writer
(Lanka-e-News -19.Dec.2024, 11.20 PM) In the annals of Sri Lankan politics, Ranil Wickremesinghe will undoubtedly be remembered as a man of contradictions, hyperbolic claims, and a taste for the dramatic. A former President who stumbled into power rather than securing it with a mandate, Ranil’s tenure was as unpredictable as a cocktail of single malt whisky and misplaced ambition.
But what truly sets Ranil apart isn’t just his questionable political choices—it’s his uncanny ability to plant stories, inflate his self-importance, and, according to unconfirmed rumors, balance all of this alongside a colorful personal life.
Ranil’s favorite pastime, it seems, was “news planting,” a strategy he executed with all the finesse of a bull in a china shop. Armed with a network of loyalists, he flooded social media and websites with tales of his supposed political prowess. His operatives even infiltrated the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington, D.C., turning diplomatic channels into glorified PR offices. Weekly columns, fabricated news stories, and grandiose claims were all part of his arsenal.
One of the most laughable assertions was his supposed ability to directly call the White House or 10 Downing Street at will. If someone doubted his connections, he would allegedly drop names like a magician pulling rabbits out of a hat: Niranjan Deva, the former Member of the European Parliament, was supposedly his hotline to the EU. He even claimed to have the Indian Prime Minister on speed dial, day or night.
These tall tales were met with skepticism and outright mockery. Far from bolstering his reputation, Ranil’s “news planting machine” backfired spectacularly. Instead of a well-connected statesman, he became the punchline to jokes whispered in diplomatic circles.
Ranil’s extravagant tastes were no secret. His fondness for single malt whisky was well-documented, with taxpayers allegedly footing the bill for his indulgence. A deeper investigation into his whisky consumption might reveal that the spirits did more to keep his spirits up than any actual achievements in governance.
One particularly cringe-worthy incident involved the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka. Determined to impress her, Ranil reportedly boasted that he could summon her to a diplomatic event in Nuwara Eliya with a single phone call to the White House. The Ambassador, perhaps sensing the absurdity of the situation, but attend to the event with other diplomats, refused to stay for the entire event, leaving Ranil to nurse his whisky and wounded pride.
Nepotism also featured prominently in Ranil’s administration. His niece, Aruni Wijewardena, was appointed as Sri Lanka’s Foreign Secretary, despite widespread criticism. Her tenure was marked by a series of diplomatic blunders, the most notable being her decision to suspend a Chinese research vessel’s visit to Sri Lanka—a move that enraged Beijing and had to be embarrassingly reversed multiple times.
Ranil’s personal life has always been a subject of curiosity. Married to Maitree Wickremesinghe, a respected academic, he presented the image of a conventional family man. However, rumors of secret relationships with male companions have persisted, though they remain unverified.
Whether these rumors are true or not is irrelevant in the grand scheme of governance. But they add another layer of intrigue to a man whose public persona has been built on contradictions. Some critics argue that the marriage itself was a carefully orchestrated façade to deflect attention from his private life.
Ranil’s rise to the presidency was less a result of public will and more of an elaborate fluke. When the country was in turmoil, and the previous administration collapsed under the weight of protests, Ranil found himself stepping into a role he neither earned nor seemed prepared for.
What followed was a series of missteps, from ineffective governance to tone-deaf public relations. While he loudly proclaimed himself the savior of Sri Lanka’s economy, his actions often seemed more focused on preserving his legacy—or what was left of it—than addressing the needs of the people.
Today, Ranil’s political career is a shadow of what it once was. His claims of international influence have been debunked, his attempts at self-aggrandizement have become fodder for satire, and his personal quirks—whether it’s his alleged news-planting obsession or his love for single malt whisky—have overshadowed any genuine contributions he may have made.
As the current President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, works to navigate Sri Lanka through its ongoing challenges, one can only hope that Ranil takes a step back. Perhaps it’s time for him to retire to the hill country, enjoy his whisky in peace, and let history judge him for what he truly was: a man of many stories, most of them self-authored, and none of them quite believable.
In the end, Ranil Wickremesinghe’s legacy might best be summed up as a cautionary tale for future leaders—a reminder that no amount of news planting, name-dropping, or whisky can mask incompetence or manufacture greatness.
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by (2024-12-19 22:28:37)
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