Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Part I Kingdom and Colony: The Mythology of Race (Pre-history to 1948)
- Part II Dominion to Republic: The Politics of Language (1948–1977)
- Part III The New Monarch: Jayewardene in Control (1977–1983)
- Part IV The New Dominion: India in the Driving Seat (1983–1987)
- Part V Changing the Guard: Premadasa's Emergence (1987–1989)
- Part VI Using the Executive Presidency: Premadasa in Action (1989–1993)
- Part VII Using the Spoon: Wijetunge as President (1993–1994)
- Part VIII The Procrastination of a Princess: Kumaratunga in charge (1994–2001)
- Part IX The Baby without the Bathwater: Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister (2001–2004)
- Part X Guarding the Change: Rajapakse's Emergence (2004–2006)
- Chapter 22 The General Election of 2004
- Chapter 23 Kumaratunga under Siege
- Chapter 24 The New Regime
- Select Bibliography
- Index
Chapter 24 - The New Regime
from Part X - Guarding the Change: Rajapakse's Emergence (2004–2006)
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 November 2011
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Part I Kingdom and Colony: The Mythology of Race (Pre-history to 1948)
- Part II Dominion to Republic: The Politics of Language (1948–1977)
- Part III The New Monarch: Jayewardene in Control (1977–1983)
- Part IV The New Dominion: India in the Driving Seat (1983–1987)
- Part V Changing the Guard: Premadasa's Emergence (1987–1989)
- Part VI Using the Executive Presidency: Premadasa in Action (1989–1993)
- Part VII Using the Spoon: Wijetunge as President (1993–1994)
- Part VIII The Procrastination of a Princess: Kumaratunga in charge (1994–2001)
- Part IX The Baby without the Bathwater: Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister (2001–2004)
- Part X Guarding the Change: Rajapakse's Emergence (2004–2006)
- Chapter 22 The General Election of 2004
- Chapter 23 Kumaratunga under Siege
- Chapter 24 The New Regime
- Select Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Trying to conciliate
From the start Rajapakse seemed to want to be conciliatory. In his speech of acceptance, he made mention of not only Mr. and Mrs. Bandaranaike, but also of Kumaratunga, in terms of their contribution to the party he represented. Kumaratunga however was not in a conciliatory mood, and Rajapakse's refusal to appoint Anura Bandaranaike as Prime Minister added to her exasperation.
Given Bandaranaike's performance during the election campaign, Rajapakse could scarcely have been expected to make him Prime Minister. He would have had an easier time had Kadirgamar been alive, for appointing him Prime Minister would have met with universal approbation. It was also a pity that there was no other representative of the minorities who seemed senior and popular enough to have been made Prime Minister, since that would have affirmed the pluralistic outlook Rajapakse was anxious, and indeed needed to, present.
As it was, he avoided a tough choice within his party, and at the same time ensured that Bandaranaike did not feel superseded by someone less senior. He decided to recall Ratnasiri Wickramanayake to serve as Prime Minister. He indicated however that he was willing to keep Bandaranaike in the Cabinet. The latter, who had been appointed Foreign Minister on Kadirgamar's death, would have liked to have kept that position, but in the delicate position in which Rajapakse was internationally, he could not afford such indulgence.
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- Information
- Declining Sri LankaTerrorism and Ethnic Conlict, the Legacy of J. R. Jayewardene, pp. 300 - 312Publisher: Foundation BooksPrint publication year: 2007