By Adolf: Ranil Wickremesinghe has little reason to complain about the manner in which the JVP—and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in particular—now treats him. Much of what he faces today is the consequence of his own political judgment, decisions he made openly and repeatedly, despite ample warning signs. Ranil publicly urged voters to support Anura Kumara Dissanayake if they did not wish to vote for him. He also stated, without hesitation, that he was instrumental in placing Anura in the presidency—despite the fact that Anura secured office with only 43 percent of the vote, the lowest mandate in Sri Lanka’s presidential history. That admission alone weakened the legitimacy of the office and handed Anura political leverage he did not independently earn.
Big Supporter
Over the years, Ranil went further. He facilitated, funded, and politically shielded Anura and his party at critical moments. He defended them before commissions and institutions, often at personal political cost. Given this history, the “generosity” Ranil now receives in return should not surprise him. Political alliances built on convenience rather than trust rarely end well. The warning signs were visible. When Ranil was President, Anura repeatedly attacked him in Parliament with open hostility. Those speeches made it clear that this was not a relationship grounded in mutual respect or loyalty. To believe such a political actor would later offer protection or restraint was, at best, naïve.
London Visit
The current controversy over a transit visit through London illustrates this failure of judgment. The GBP 35,000 released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not for President Ranil Wickremesinghe personally. It covered costs related to official security personnel, hotel accommodation, VIP lounge access, and transport. These are administrative expenditures processed through ministries, not discretionary spending by a President.Yet the legal theatrics surrounding the case have ignored this basic distinction. Instead of sensationalism, what is required is a sober examination of responsibility. The Chief Accounting Officers in such matters are the Presidential Secretary and the Foreign Secretary. If procedures were violated or approvals improperly granted, accountability must begin there—not with political grandstanding, instead Study the Audit Report on the matter.
DSG Delipa
DSG Delipa the Counsel involved in these proceedings would do well to study the audit reports carefully rather than rely on courtroom theatrics and thuggery . Questions such as why GBP 5,000 was paid for a vehicle for 24 hours—when the cost of a new car in the UK is around GBP 6,000—deserve serious scrutiny. Who authorized the payment? Who processed it? See https://lankanewsweb.net/archives/167746/did-sarojas-team-in-uk-misuse-public-funds/ These are factual issues, not political slogans. History offers cautionary lessons. Legal professionals who align themselves too closely with transient political power often find themselves isolated once that power shifts. Chief Justice Mohan Peiris’s experience stands as a reminder that doing a ruler’s bidding rarely guarantees long-term security or reputation.
Predicament
If Ranil Wickremesinghe ultimately faces legal consequencesand a Jail sentence , he must accept that his predicament stems less from persecution and more from miscalculation. He chose to back a political group whose ideological hostility toward him was never concealed since Batalanda. Whoever advised him to do so showed a profound lack of political judgment.
Sajith Premadasa
Had Ranil instead supported Sajith Premadasa, it is highly unlikely that he would now be subjected to such petty, vindictive charges. Alliances matter. So does foresight. As J.R. Jayewardene his famous Uncle famously observed, when you pray for rain, you must be prepared to deal with the mud. Ranil prayed for political survival through expedient alliances. He is now dealing with the consequences. In the end, the responsibility for poor judgment rests where it belongs—with Ranil Wickremesinghe himself.
