By Vishvanath
Truism in Plutarch’s aforesaid words of wisdom is not confined to oration alone; it applies to every other human pursuitas well. The world is full of critics, most of whom are like backseat drivers, who know the way but cannot drive.
Opposition politicians never miss an opportunity to wax eloquent about the shortcomings of their rivals in power and turn public opinion against the latter through persuasive rhetoric and by offering alternatives, whose feasibility is in question, in most cases. Not that all their criticisms are misplaced or baselessthough. Criticism helps politicians out of power gain popular support and traction, and when this happens, with those in power becoming unpopular by failing to deliver and live up to people’s expectations, regime changes become inevitable in democratic countries, as became evident in Sri Lanka last month. Thereafter, there occurs a role reversal, with critics who capture power having to practice what they have preached as Opposition members.
The NPP leaders carried out a sustained propaganda campaign against the SLPP government putting it on the defensive by making the most of public resentment towards it for its failure to manage the economy, corrupt practices, and, above all, for causing unbearable economic hardships to the people. Fiery oratory, effective organizing, aggressive campaigning, which helped mobilize the masses in large numbers, alternative proposals offered in an impressive manifesto, etc., enabled the NPP to win the presidency and form an interim government. Now, the NPP leaders are under pressure to deliver what they promised. Worse, they are required to do so extremely swiftly before the next general election slated for next month!
Time was when a newly elected government was traditionally afforded a few months or even one year to commence the implementation of its policies and pledges, but in this digitally driven, fast-paced world, dominated by social media, characterized by frequent episodes of feeding frenzy, the NPP leaders are under mounting pressure to fulfil their promisesfast. Queues have reappeared near the Department of Immigration and Emigration, and passport applicants are protesting and cursing the new government. Almost all the protesters interviewed by television channels expressed their disappointment with the new government, which, they said, was no better than its predecessors. It may be recalled that the NPP made an issue of queues near the ‘passport office’ to gain political mileage during Ranil Wickremesinghe’s presidency.
People are also complaining of high prices of rice, which isalso in short supply. Egg prices, which dropped after last month’s government change, much to the glee of NPP leaders and their supporters, who readily attributed the price drop to their leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s ascension to the presidency, have increased again. Coconuts have also become unaffordable to the ordinary people. Atop all that, the government has had to fulfil its pledge to recover the stolen public funds and bring the corrupt to justice. Most of all, it is under fire for having reneged on its promise to renegotiate the IMF programme and reduce taxes and tariffs.
President Dissanayake, when he was in the Opposition, used to tear the previous government to shreds over the high cost of living. He said petroleum prices could be slashed overnight by eliminating unconscionable high taxes and corruption in the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation. Now, there is a growing demand that the government make petrol and diesel available at Rs. 150 a liter!
Nothing must be more hurtful to the NPP leaders and their loyalists than the snide remarks that the SLPP politicians are making about petroleum and egg prices. Former Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera is fanning the flames of public anger by asking the government why it has not cared to halve the fuel prices by rooting out corruption and lowering taxes. SLPP National Organizer and unsuccessful presidential candidate, Namal Rajapaksa, keeps daring the government to bring back the billions of dollars, which, the NPP leaders said in the run-up to the last presidential election, had been stashed away in Uganda. They may not be able to turn public opinion against the government with such rhetorical statements and challenges in the short-term, but constant dropping is said to wear away a stone.
There are clear signs of social media turning hostile towards the government. Political leaders cannot remain social media sensations only with the help of their digitally savvy propagandists. Whether the NPP has been able to remain as popular as it was before the presidential election is in question. It was expected to fare much better in the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) election held last Saturday (26). True, it won 15 out of 17 wards, but could not secure a working majority; the Opposition also obtained 15 seats. The voter turnout was relatively low; it was only 66% whereas as many as 78.6% voters participated in the 2019 PS election in Elpitiya, a bastion of the left, where the people are politically active. The drop in the voter turnout is an indication that the outcome of the presidential election did not ignite adequate voter enthusiasm in Elpitiya. The biggest challenge before the NPP is to improve its performance in the general election.
Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has argued that going by the results of last month’s presidential election, no party will be able to secure a working majority in the next Parliament. This is the opinion of many independent political analysts as well. In other words, if what is predicted comes to pass, the next parliament will be hung. This is a worrisome proposition for any newly elected President. The first President to face such a situation was Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. The People’s Alliance led by her could not obtain a majority in the 2000 parliamentary polls, despite her victory in the 2019 presidential election. The UNP, which enabled Maithripala Sirisena to become the President in January 2015, could not secure a working majority in the general election that followed about eight months later.
Even if the NPP succeeds in proving predictions about the forthcoming general election wrong and forming a stable government next month, its worries will not go away. It will have to implement what it has promised in President Dissanayake’s manifesto before the local government elections, which will have to be held early next year in compliance with a Supreme Court order. Sri Lankan is under tremendous pressure from India to hold the much-delayed Provincial Council polls, which are also likely to be held next year. Among the NPP’s pledges are public sector pay hikes, subsidies and the allocation of more funds for social welfare, reducing taxes, tariffs and fuel prices while keeping the IMF programme on track. It will also have to withstand increasing geopolitical pressure and handle unenviable tasks such as refusing to meet demands from world powers and protect Sri Lanka’s interests. President Dissanayake must have realized by now that ‘uneasy lies the head that wears the crown’.
