It’s just been confirmed that there will be a Presidential Election in Sri Lanka on 26th January. It’s basically a face-off between the two great war heroes of popular Sri Lankan mythology – President Rajapakse and the former head of the Armed forces Sarath Fonseka, rivals as true heir to the Dutugemunu legacy, will slug it out for supremacy. The erstwhile partners in the successful push to finish the Sri Lankan civil war this year have fallen out with each other in spectacular fashion. Fonseka, hero to the masses and to the army rank and file, is certainly the only man around with the popularity credentials to get anywhere close to President Mahinda Rajapakse right now.
I can only assume it has been called so quickly to catch Fonseka and his unholy UNP/JVP alliance on the hop, whilst forcing the prospective candidates in the general election (which must be held before May 2010) to campaign ferociously on behalf of their President at risk of losing their own jobs/chance to contest a seat in the upcoming elections.
The inhabitants of Sri Lanka continue to live in interesting times…