Daily NEWS Srilanka

Ranjan Ramanayaka who has secured a large majority of votes from Gampaha District at the last General Election has spoken about his victory and actors - actresses entering parliament. It is as follows:

* The reason why you are selected with a large majority of votes from Gampaha District and is in the forefront .... is it because you are an actor or the political process?

 
A large number of factors contribute to that. I think factors like the trust that developed within the public over me, pedigree, the manner in which the trust of the people has been won, the fact that I stayed upright on behalf of the country .... that there's no ethanol, drugs coming in, that I took no bribes from anybody, that I didn't plunder public property .... all these contributed towards being appointed with the biggest number of Preferential Votes.

* You're a person who came to Divulapitiya District in Gampaha out of the blues. Didn't you suddenly dawn on Ratnapura like that before this too? 

 
None of these things happened because I wanted. My first appointment was for the Katana Seat in Gampaha District as chief organiser. I was there for about one and a half years. This journey when we were defeated in 2005 and the Party was on four legs brings with it a big challenge like 'kill and commit suicide' too. This Seat is the Seat of Mr. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle .... very powerful. It was when I undertook to defeat this and was engaged in my political activities after establishing 68 societies that I had to go to Ratnapura.

* How is it that you had to go to Ratnapura?

 
Those days Dasa Hapuwalana of Lankadeepa Newspaper drew a cartoon .... where Mr. Ranil Wickremasingha was  coming, keeping in his hand an application form for the position of Chief Minister for Sabaragamuwa Province and a beggar on the street started running. At that time the Party was helpless with no Chief Minister candidate for Ratnapura. When I was able to win as No. 1 from Gampaha District, I tell Mr. Ranil Wickremasingha, "if it's a problem for you sir ... I'll contest for the Chief Minister post in Ratnapura and win and give you". He responded saying, "A great thing". Saying so he appointed me there. By that time I hadn't kept my foot in Ratnapura for 15 years as such.  

  In the end I went to Ratnapura for shooting of the teledrama Menik nadiya gala basi of Ananda Abeynayaka 15 years before. There also I took up a big challenge. I didn't even have the vote from that area, in the least. When I came to Ratnapura and what I told the people was that "I haven't cheated, haven't got involved in corruption and deceit ... so give me the vote". I won by getting 36,000 lakhs Preferential Votes. But the Party lost. The Chief Minister at that time took so much revenge on me. I didn't betray the trust. 

It was during that period that I had to contest for the General Election from the Balangoda Seat. An MP Seat for Balangoda was given after 20 years. Though things were such, my strong request was to hand me the Katana Seat, my birthplace where my relatives were. After the exit of Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena I get the organiser post of the Negombo Seat. After that, I undertook the position of District Organiser there and got involved in activities such as various debates and protests. In the process I was also elected to the Executive Committee. At the last provincial council election too I made a request to contest for the vote relinquishing my position at the parliament. But what Mr. Ranil Wickremasingha said was that I should be there to speak in parliament.

* Why were you posted in Divulapitiya this time?

 
The Negombo and Katana Seats were won at the last Presidential Election. So I was told to win the Divulapitiya Seat which we had lost for 20 years. I was put there with a challenge. I accepted all these challenges. I made the Gampaha District win with something close to 30,000. With popular seniors in the Party there, I have been appointed with the biggest number of Preferential Votes. When considering where the Party is concerned, it is I who is in the third position out of those who clinched the biggest number of Preferential Votes.

* Do you think that your gaining those biggest number of Preferential Votes was not affected because of being an actor?

 
But there are many actors - actresses who have been defeated by losing their deposits also. In history ... Gamini Fonseka, Vijaya Cumaratunga have won. But I think that principles and political activities which people could feel more than as being a screen idol affects more than this as a percentage.

* Can't some people think that just as much as you didn't do something for Ratnapura .. you won't do for Divulapitiya too?

 
It's true that some people ask what I did for Ratnapura. But I didn't do illicit gem mining in Ratnapura, didn't sell rocks and gravel. I didn't sell granite. Didn't rob Samurdhi. I didn't transport ganja from the vehicles I own. Didn't bring drugs. Was not involved in any form of illicit thing. I have respected the vote given by the public of Ratnapura. So is there any service more than that? I didn't even take the vote of the public and keep jumping from one side to the other either. I am in politics because of the public. Even today I have no house to call my own. I am in a house given for an MP for which rent is being paid with public funds. Even water bills, light bills are paid with public funds.

* You held the post of a Deputy Minister in the last government. This time you must be anticipating a responsible Ministerial post, don't you?

 
To say that a position of a Minister is not anticipated after making Gampaha trounce with a majority of votes and clinching the biggest number of Preferential Votes, is bunkem. I expect a good Minister post. I anticipate a post of a Minister where I could provide a service for the vote given by the people.

* Will you leave Divulapitiya too like you did in the case of Ratnapura?

 
That's a question which most people ask me. I really feel sorry about it. I did all that on behalf of the Party. I left my home town, my relatives, my close associates .... I left a lovable place. I did all that for the sake of the Party.

* You say that you got the biggest number of votes because you were a person free from corruption, deceit, robbery and was someone who was law-abiding. But, aren't those who were labelled as being in the corrupted and charlatans list during the past once again being appointed to parliament? 

 
It's a very sorrowful as well as an unpleasant situation. Whatever it is, we'll be fighting in parliament over this. I am actually born to fight. I didn't come to parliament and draw a salary for nothing .... will not take so either. What most people did was come to parliament and eat from the canteen and go away after waiting like dumb people. If one comes for 04 sessions for an year ... it's complete. How many like that who went home after drawing the biggest pension were staying like that for 5 years?

* What do you think about losers being taken into parliament?

 
Sad. Of course they were defeated because there was an opposition against them from the public. But our Party hasn't done anything like that. If the others also followed suit it would be good.

* This time there are only two actors - actresses in the parliament isn't it?

 
If they work properly ... it's enough. Everybody knows what was done by those who were there during the past no. They built resting-places for artistes to rest. White elephants such as Ranmihitenna was built. Festivals such as AIFA was held and Salmon Kahn and Jacolines were brought. Then some people will ask what did Ranjan Ramanayaka do. It was I who complained of irregularities that took place in the field of teledrama during the past period. We continuously fought to bring about a media dialogue across Nili mas, Dada mas. On the occasion when it was said that guarantors are necessary when buying vehicles for artistes, we voiced our opinion in that connection. We suggested that vehicle loans be brought up to 17 lakhs from 14 lakhs.

* How do you view the defeat of someone like Rosy Senanayaka in your Party who has affiliation with the field of cinema too?

 
That of course has to be asked from the public themselves. I can't understand why people like Geetha Kumarasingha, Prasanna Ranaweera, Nimal Lansa, Choka Malli who were appointed by the vote fail to notice Rosy.     

* You'll get a responsible post of Minister. What will happen to your position as an actor?

 
Both these will be on an equal footing. I don't have many attachments in life. I have no family to look after. I don't have to take children to school ... for tuition classes. I don't have to take my wife shopping. So there's a lot of time left for me. My acting-life will be there as usual. I believe that my bachelor life would stand me in good stead for me to indulge in Minister duties and in acting, in the proper manner.