In the dramatic world of Sri Lankan politics, where intrigue and spectacle blend seamlessly, the latest episode of the Rajapaksa Family Circus has once again taken center stage. Picture this: the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), the political powerhouse founded by the Rajapaksa clan, has thrown their latest ringmaster into the presidential ring. Meet Namal Rajapaksa, the son of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and a man who, at 38, stepped in to the ring once businessman Damika Perera shyed away at the very last moment
In a plot twist that even the best soap operas would envy, this move comes despite a significant chunk of SLPP’s parliament members—those with cushy ministerial posts under current President Ranil Wickremesinghe—swearing their undying loyalty to Wickremesinghe’s presidential aspirations. It’s like pledging allegiance to your new gym while still paying membership fees at the old one.
Sagara Kariyawasam, the SLPP’s Secretary General and the story’s unlikely narrator, announced the decision with criteria that sounded like they were lifted from a motivational poster: local values, the ability to face challenges, and global savviness. Of course, they left out the “experience with legal battles” part.
Namal, who has been in parliament since 2010, was officially named the presidential candidate during a religious ceremony at the SLPP’s head office. Apparently, divine intervention was deemed necessary to cleanse the announcement of its inherent irony.
It’s worth remembering that the last time the SLPP was riding high, in 2022, the public was so fed up with the economic turmoil brought on by Namal’s uncle, Gotabaya, that they practically issued the family a one-way ticket out of power. In scenes reminiscent of a rock concert gone wrong, angry protesters stormed the residences of SLPP legislators and ministers after Rajapaksa loyalists decided it was a good idea to attack peaceful demonstrators in Colombo. Pro tip: attacking peaceful protesters is not a great look.
After Gotabaya fled the country, presumably using Google Maps to find the farthest point from Sri Lanka, the SLPP hastily backed Wickremesinghe in parliament. Wickremesinghe, showing the kind of gratitude one might expect from a cat receiving a bath, promptly took action against the very protesters who had been miffed about, well, everything.
The Rajapaksa dynasty’s grip on power has always been a family affair. Mahinda ruled from 2005 to 2015, his brother Gotabaya took the helm from 2019 until 2022, and during their reign, the family basically ran the country’s key ministries as their personal fiefdoms. Defence, finance, urban development—you name it, they controlled it. Their family gatherings must have been less about small talk and more about national policy.
As we approach the September 21 presidential poll, one thing is certain: the Rajapaksa Family Circus isn’t packing up its tent anytime soon. Namal Rajapaksa is stepping up to the centre ring, and whether he’s juggling policies or dodging allegations, it’s sure to be a performance to remember. The show is just getting started!
