Major split in left combine

Tissa Vitarana may lose LSSP leadership

A major split has arisen in the left parties combine of the governing coalition, the Socialist People’s Front after its MPs voted for the 18th amendment to the constitution disregarding serious opposition from their parties. Political sources said the worst split had occurred in the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), the oldest registered political party in the country with a section of its membership trying to oust Tissa Vitharana from the party leadership and get Batty Weerakoon as the new leader. Another group has proposed to form a new left alliance with radicals from all three constituent parties – LSSP, Communist Party (CP) and Democratic Left Front (DLF) led by Vasudeva Nanayakkara.

The problem arose when the left party combine led by Vasudeva Nanayakkara backed the 18th amendment despite all three constituent parties being against the executive presidency from its inception. Right throughout, they advocated a Westminster model premiership, accountable to Parliament.

After the decision to introduce the amendment was announced by the government, the constituent parties of the Socialist People’s Front met separately to decide their party stands on the proposed amendment. The LSSP politburo opposed the amendment but decided to abstain from voting in Parliament while the DLF also took a similar decision agreeing with the LSSP.

A large section of the central committee of the Communist Party opposed the amendment while a group led by its Matara District MP and Deputy Finance Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera proposed to support the amendment as they were with the government and on that basis they decided to support it in Parliament.
The party leaders, who are also MPs, however decided to vote for the bill in parliament at a meeting of the Socialist People’s Front held on September 6.

Following this decision, a group of leading members from LSSP and DLF that included Percy Wickramasekera, Dr Jayampathy Wickremaratne and Kumar David issued a statement condemning the decision.
The decision by five Left Front MPs DEW Gunasekera, Tissa Vitarana, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Chandrasiri Gajadeera and Y G Padmasiri to vote in favour of the bill last Wednesday has worsened the crisis in their parties.

(The Nation)