In this exclusive interview, Namal Rajapaksa, a prominent member of the Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP), discusses the party's recent downfall and the rise of Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) as the new political force in Sri Lanka. Namal offers insights into the future of the SLPP, the shifting dynamics of Sri Lankan politics, and the evolving relationship between Sri Lanka and India. He also shares his perspective on Tamil Nadu's views toward the Rajapaksa family, shedding light on the regional political complexities and his vision for Sri Lanka's future.
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NewsTranscript
00:00There were certain things that we did right, but I think certain things we would have done
00:04much better.
00:05So, unfortunately with the circumstances that we had to go through, we were facing a tough
00:10election anyway.
00:11Globally, every government after Covid kept on changing, so we did not adapt, I would
00:17say.
00:18So, I think we have got the message that we need to adapt.
00:20Welcome viewers.
00:21You all know that Sri Lanka Parliament elections got over few days before.
00:24The NPP registered landslide victory and they got two-third majority in Parliament.
00:28On the other hand, last ruling party of Sri Lanka, the SLPP, got very less votes than
00:34rejected votes.
00:36What is happening?
00:37What is the reasons for that?
00:39Let's talk.
00:40We are with Mr. Namal Rajapakshe, National Organiser of SLPP.
00:44Hello sir.
00:46As I mentioned in my opening, SLPP's vote share fall drastically.
00:52What is the reasons behind that?
00:54I think the challenges that we have faced within last four years and to be honest, the
01:00SLPP-led coalition has been ruling Sri Lankan politics ever since 1994.
01:06So I would say our setup has become very old in a different sense.
01:10But at the same time, we believed that we had a golden opportunity in 2019, but unfortunately
01:15with the Covid-19 pandemic and the challenges that we were handed over by the previous government,
01:21there were certain things that we did right.
01:24But I think certain things we would have done much better.
01:26So unfortunately with the circumstances that we had to go through, we were facing a tough
01:32election anyway.
01:33So we were left with the challenge whether we are going on a coalition where the party
01:39would have ended up nowhere, or are we going to take ourselves and then build from where
01:44we stopped.
01:45So which we decided, you know, as a party we should go on our own for the presidential
01:49election and we faced, I would say, it was a tough election, but then the outcome was
01:56not as we expected.
01:57But then the parliamentary election, we have gained more votes than the presidential election
02:02and everyone expected us to only get one seat from nationalist.
02:05But then we managed to secure two seats other than nationalist seat and also we lost a couple
02:11of seats in different districts marginally.
02:13So which shows that there is a growth in the party as well.
02:16So this is politics, you know.
02:17We need to face these challenges and we need to restructure ourselves and move forward.
02:23I spoke with many of your party men.
02:24They said Mahinda's reign is known for growth.
02:28Even the common public is the same.
02:30They have done so much to Sri Lanka in past.
02:32But in present, you witnessed a huge downfall.
02:38What is the reasons and did you misjudge the people's pulse?
02:42I think more than that, that we haven't upgraded ourselves.
02:46The era my father, Mahindra Rajapaksa, was ruling, that is before 2015.
02:52The circumstances were different.
02:53And then the pandemic came in in 2019, so the entire dimension was changed.
02:58And the needs and the demands and also the approach has changed in the public, with social
03:02media growing rapidly during that couple of years.
03:05And then globally, every government after COVID kept on changing.
03:11So we did not adapt, I would say.
03:13So I think we have got the message that we need to adapt and move forward.
03:19Last 10 days I was in Sri Lanka, I spoke with many people in Colombo, in north, upcountry.
03:24Unanimously they said, we are fed up with traditional politics.
03:29We lose hope on traditional politicians, fed up with corruption charges and other things,
03:34so that we support AKD.
03:36And he has huge support across the country.
03:40How could you overcome this and how could you regain your hope on you and your party
03:46over this?
03:47I think firstly the challenge is on the current NPP government.
03:50They need to prove the allegations.
03:52They need to implement law.
03:54But I must also reiterate that they should not use this power to victimize the opposition.
04:01So if they try to create fake cases, if they try to fix evidence and try to victimize politically
04:09and then gain mileage, then eventually people will realize the truth.
04:13But if there is honest corruption or downfall or bribery allegations or whatever it is,
04:19do a proper investigation and make sure that you implement the law, number one.
04:25Then the public will understand whether we are lying or they are lying.
04:31So I think it is in the hands of the current president to prove the allegations that he
04:36himself has built for the last so many years.
04:39And on the other hand, I think development-wise, this government must carry out a rapid economic
04:45development plan, educational reforms, because to be honest, most of our educational reforms
04:49were on hold because of JVP-led trade unions.
04:54So today the government themselves with the president can make their own trade unions
04:58sit and understand that the reforms need to be done.
05:01So likewise, it is up to the government to perform on the one hand, on one side.
05:06But on the other hand, I think as a party, yes, we will restructure ourselves.
05:11And we believe we are a progressive party, and we represent the next generation.
05:14We believe in becoming a progressive partner in the global economy.
05:20And that is our goal and that is our aim.
05:22And we have to be self-sufficient in agriculture.
05:24And at the same time, we should allow the modern economy to take place in the country,
05:29modern transactions to be taken place in the country.
05:32So we will structure ourselves around that as a nationalist party, but we are not a racist
05:36party.
05:37And we are not a racist party.
05:39I must reiterate that because sometimes nationalism seems to be taken as racism.
05:44But we are a nationalist party, and we believe that Sri Lanka shouldn't be divided.
05:48And all cultures and religions and languages should be protected.
05:51So we will be a real true opposition for the government to make sure that the government
05:58is being checked and it's balanced.
06:02The Sri Lankan government has to ensure good relationship with India, US and other countries.
06:07But JVP is known as traditional Indian hackers.
06:10What do you think?
06:11Is it possible for them to maintain good rapport with India?
06:14If not, what will be going to happen?
06:17I hope they will maintain a strong relationship with India and the neighborhood.
06:21Because Prime Minister Modi's neighborhood first policy has benefited most of the countries.
06:26And we have seen that when the region tried to move out of it, the countries have started
06:32facing a lot of challenges.
06:33So I hope the current government will maintain that friendly, robust relationship with India.
06:40And of course, with the rest of the world as well, keeping their previous policies aside,
06:45they should adapt.
06:46One last question, sir.
06:48You spoke a lot about Sri Lankan politics and Sri Lanka-India relations.
06:52I came from Tamil Nadu.
06:53In your answers, you said we are not a racist party.
06:56But in our land, the SLPP is known as a racist party.
07:02I want to take a message from you to Tamil Nadu.
07:05What is the takeaway message for Tamil Nadu?
07:07Well, I think the Tamil Nadu state has always misread Rajapaksa family.
07:12Because we were never fighting against Tamils.
07:14We were fighting against LTT.
07:16We have nothing against Tamils or Tamil Nadu.
07:19But unfortunately, certain lobby groups try to project that the Rajapaksa family and SLPP
07:25is against Tamil Nadu.
07:27And that went up to one, at one time, it went up to the extent of interpreting as Rajapaksas
07:33are anti-Indian.
07:34So we are not.
07:35We are not anti-Indian or we are not anti-Tamil Nadu.
07:37And I believe Sri Lanka must maintain a strong relationship with India and Tamil Nadu.
07:43Because as you know, Tamil Nadu state probably will become a trillion dollar economy in the
07:46next couple of years.
07:48And the domestic traveling tourism is around 100 million, domestic and international.
07:54So Sri Lanka can benefit a lot.
07:56And also if you look at the energy exports, you know, Sri Lanka can become an energy hub.
07:59Where Sri Lanka can actually export energy to Tamil Nadu state and via from Tamil Nadu
08:04state to the rest of India.
08:05So I think we should rebuild our relationship with the south part of India.
08:10And that is something that I think I have to do from my side because as a new generation
08:15politician and I'm open for it and I invite politicians in Tamil Nadu and the people in
08:20Tamil Nadu to understand the reality and you know, don't believe what you see on social
08:25media, but get to know us, get to know us properly.
08:29Then you realize that, you know, we are not racist.