Ranil can win too and other tidbits

Ranil can win too

The Sri Lankan cricketers secured a world title after losing 4 finals (2 in the 50-over format and 2 in the T-20 version).  A string of defeats does not mean endless defeats. Victory is possible, the cricketers showed.  Ranil Wickremesinge and the UNP can take heart. Perhaps Sanath Jayasuriya should be consulted. He might give a few tips

Stop complaining about Ranil's defeats

It is customary for his detractors to chide Ranil Wickremesinghe on the number of electoral defeats that the UNP has suffered during his tenure as leader of the party.  The numbers themselves are inflated.  Each PC election is counted as one and if that logic is used then the number of electorates/districts lost at every general election and presidential election could swell the number of defeats several hundreds.  He's just lost a three general elections, two presidential elections and a few local government and provincial council elections.  But what's all that compared to the string of losses that Shyam Babu Subudhi can and does brag about?  The 78 year old Homeopathy doctor from Berhampur, Odissa has stood in every Indian parliamentary election since 1962 and lost everyone. He's not done yet. 

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The proof that Mahinda wants

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya has vowed that the victory of any elected candidate would be overturned if he or she is proven to have violated election laws.  Was Deshapriya holed up in his office from the day the PCs were dissolved until the results were released? Did he not have access to the media?  Did he not check news on the internet?  'The Nation', for example, carried 'proof beyond a shadow of doubt' that laws had indeed been violated.  Will he or won't he act?  

That Leadership Council and this Leadership Council

Sri Lanka won the T-20 World Cup.  The official captain, Dinesh Chandimal was dropped.  The stand-in captain, Lasith Malinga, strode to the middle for the toss, but thereafter it was not he but a leadership council of sorts that handled the campaign.  There was Mahela, Kumar, Dilshan, Matthews and Malinga himself. Together they scripted a win against the team favoured to go home with the silverware, India.  So why can't the UNP do the same?  Well, there was one ingredient that favoured the cricketers: team-spirit.  Does the UNP know anything about the term 'team'? 

Tilvin's confession 

Tilvin Silva, General of the JVP, made a public statement. He said that this time the JVP has come forward with the blessings of the people.  Implied here is that all this time the JVP didn't have the blessings of the people.  Yes, the JVP has come a long way from pretending that it was representing the people to representing the people.  

The Sri Lankan vote on the Geneva vote

The loudest cheer-leader of the US-led Resolution on Sri Lanka in the UNHRC was Comrade Wickramabahu Karunaratne.  His party contested. Less than 0.05% in each province.  That should indicate the clout that self-appointed 'civil society' gurus have in this country, Navi Pillay are you listening?