-By Political Correspondent
(Lanka-e-News -28.March.2025, 11.10 PM) The United National Party (UNP), once a grand old political powerhouse that birthed Sri Lanka’s first Prime Minister and first Executive President, now resembles a struggling soap opera where the main characters refuse to exit the stage. With its dwindling membership and multiple splinter groups, the UNP today is less of a political party and more of a historical artifact in need of restoration.
And now, adding more drama to this political circus, a fresh leadership battle is brewing between none other than six-time Prime Minister and one-time “backdoor” President Ranil Wickremesinghe and his newly emboldened challenger, Ravi Karunanayake—the UNP’s one and only MP in Parliament. That’s right—one MP. In a Parliament of 225.
Ravi, a man known for his confidence, financial expertise, and occasional misunderstandings with monetary transactions, has declared himself the natural heir to the UNP throne. His logic? Well, since he is the only UNP MP in Parliament, shouldn’t he also be its leader? Makes sense—after all, you can’t lead a party that doesn’t have a party!
Ravi, in his usual theatrical style, stormed the media recently with a scathing attack on Ranil’s leadership. According to him, the once-strategic and elite Ranil has now been reduced to a man held hostage by two of his most loyal advisers—Saagala Ratnayake and Vajira Abeywardena.
“These two are keeping Ranil in a political aquarium,” Ravi declared dramatically. “He is watching the world go by but can’t swim out of it!”
According to Ravi, Ranil has lost touch with the people—probably because, for years, the UNP’s electoral success has been limited to air-conditioned boardrooms and diplomatic cocktail parties.
“I am the man who can revive the UNP! I am the only MP we have! I am the real leader!” Ravi declared, as reporters tried to suppress their chuckles.
Meanwhile, Ranil, who has survived more political betrayals than Julius Caesar, remains unmoved. His strategy? Ignore, delay, and—if necessary—outlive the competition.
Just when things couldn’t get any more absurd, in walks Julie Chung, the U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, making an unexpected visit to UNP headquarters—Sirikotha.
Now, this move puzzled many. Why would the U.S. Ambassador visit a party whose entire Parliamentary presence can fit in a tuk-tuk? Theories began circulating faster than a WhatsApp forward.
Peace Talks? Maybe the U.S. wanted to mediate the great UNP leadership struggle, preventing Ranil and Ravi from engaging in an actual duel with expired party manifestos.
Funding Inquiry? With U.S. foreign aid tightening, maybe she wanted to clarify if Sirikotha was still a functioning political institution or just a heritage site in need of preservation funding.
Wrong Turn? Or, maybe the Ambassador’s GPS glitched, and she was actually heading for the coffee shop next door.
Regardless of the reason, her visit sparked speculation, giving the UNP one last taste of relevance.
As the dust settles, one thing is clear—no matter who wins this fight, the UNP is in no position to make a comeback anytime soon. With Ranil preoccupied with global economic lectures and Ravi auditioning for political survivor, the party remains in limbo.
As for the U.S. Ambassador, we can only hope she learned her lesson: next time, if you’re looking for political powerhouses in Sri Lanka, Sirikotha might not be the best place to start.
After all, why visit a party headquarters when the party itself barely exists?
-By Political Correspondent
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by (2025-03-28 18:33:12)
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