- US NSC Director urges holding of LG Polls as planned during meeting with Prez
- MR to hand back B20 residence, plans to return to refurbished Wijerama residence
- UNP and SLPP decide on broad pro-Govt. alliance, decide to form common plan
- UNPers push for ‘elephant,’ SLPPers push ‘pohottuwa,’ talks turn to ‘swan’ symbol
- Basil pushes ‘pohottuwa,’ says people can vent their anger against SLPP at LG Polls
- SLFP dissidents decide to prepare independent lists, not ready to move with SLPP
- SLFP leadership under pressure to field lists under ‘hand,’ despite joining ‘helicopter’
- New alliance gives ultimatum to SLFP; contest all bodies under ‘helicopter,’ not parts
- TNA partners to contest separately and join afterwards in Local Government bodies
- RW says no pressure from India to implement 13A, only focus is on resolving issues
- Govt. agrees to address issues of PTA prisoners and lands before Independence Day
President Ranil Wickremesinghe and his Government will face a decisive week ahead with regard to the country’s economic recovery plan, with high-level representations from two of Sri Lanka’s key creditors – China and India – visiting the country.
The visits of the Chinese and Indian officials and the discussions that follow will play a key role in finalising Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring programme. President Wickremesinghe yesterday (14) stated that the Government had already completed negotiations with Japan (the other key creditor) on debt restructuring.
The finalisation of the debt restructuring deal is currently obstructing Sri Lanka’s requested assistance package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). President Wickremesinghe is confident of reaching a consensus on debt restructuring with China and India this month and pushing for IMF Board approval for the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) this month itself.
However, Standard Chartered’s Global Research report last week stated that IMF Board approval for Sri Lanka’s EFF was now expected in the second quarter of 2023. The report’s prediction was made owing to delays in securing financial assurances from its bilateral creditors, adding that this could further delay negotiations with commercial creditors, which are also expected to be pushed back to the second half of 2023.
“As a result, we expect a restructuring deal to be reached only by the end of 2023. Achieving the IMF’s qualitative and quantitative targets, including the timely restructuring of commercial debt, could pose challenges and potentially disrupt the IMF programme,” the report read.
Meanwhile, solvency and liquidity risks within the financial sector are also building, along with the looming domestic debt restructuring, it further stated.
It is in such a backdrop that Wickremesinghe last week held a discussion with Export-Import (Exim) Bank of China Chairman Wu Fulin, via video conference. During the discussion, Wickremesinghe and the Exim Bank Chairman exchanged views on bilateral cooperation and Sri Lanka’s current debt issues, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka tweeted.
“On 10 January, Wu Fulin, Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of China, held a fruitful video conference with Ranil Wickremesinghe, President and Minister of Finance of Sri Lanka, and exchanged views on bilateral co-operation and Sri Lanka’s current debt issues,” it added.
Meanwhile, Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, during an interview with BBC, urged China and India to agree to a write-down of their loans to Sri Lanka as soon as possible as it was in the interest of all parties to act quickly.
Chinese visit
A high-level delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC), led by its International Department Vice Minister Chen Zhou, arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday (14) and is to remain in the country until Wednesday (18). This is the first official visit of the Chinese party to Sri Lanka for 2023 as well as the first such visit after the 20th CPC National Congress.
The delegation is scheduled to meet leaders of the Government and political parties and host a briefing on the CPC National Congress to promote bilateral relations and inter-party exchanges between China and Sri Lanka.
During the visit, Zhou will meet representatives of the President’s party – the United National Party (UNP) – at a breakfast hosted by the Embassy of China tomorrow (16). The UNP will be represented by Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene, Assistant Leader Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Working Committee Member Dinouk Colombage, and Working Committee Member Shehara Herath.
Indian connection
It is interesting to note that soon after Zhou concludes his visit to Sri Lanka on Wednesday, a senior official from the Indian Government is expected to visit the country on Thursday (19).
It was learnt earlier this month that Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar was likely to visit Sri Lanka. It will be the first visit of an Indian minister to Sri Lanka since President Wickremesinghe assumed office last July. Jaishankar’s last visit to Sri Lanka was in March 2022 when former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was in office.
It is learnt that the Indian official is likely to engage in a two-day visit from Thursday to Friday (20). It is also learnt that the agenda of Jaishankar’s impending visit has not been finalised yet and is likely to be done following his discussions with Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay.
The Hindu had reported last week that a full review of bilateral ties was on the agenda and that the visit comes amidst efforts by the Sri Lankan Government to get “written financial assurances” from its closest and biggest creditors – India and China – on restructuring its debt.
Be that as it may, it is reliably learnt that the Sri Lankan Government will take the opportunity to expedite two key Indian projects that have been continuously pushed by New Delhi for several years – the setting up of an industrial zone in Trincomalee and the setting up of a power transmission line linking Sri Lanka and India.
Focus on polls
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka last week witnessed a senior US official also visiting the country. National Security Council (NSC) Senior Director for South Asia Rear Adm. Eileen Laubacher during her brief visit to Sri Lanka met with President Wickremesinghe last week.
Joined by US Ambassador to Sri lanka Julie Chung, Laubacher raised two points of concern with the President. The first matter taken up was the maritime security of the region. She stated that the US was keen to assist in maritime security operations in the region, including anti-smuggling operations.
Another main issue that was taken up during the meeting was the upcoming Local Government Elections. The US team had taken the opportunity to renew their urging that the election take place as planned. However, it is noteworthy that the US Ambassador was quick to state that electoral reforms were necessary and the sentiment of the public appeared to be that 8,000 Local Government members were too many.
Hornet’s nest
However, the holding of Local Government Polls ran into quite a controversy last week with letters, counter letters, and summonings being carried out by the Election Commission.
It started with Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, and Local Government Secretary Neel Bandara Hapuhinna last Tuesday (10) issuing a letter informing all district secretaries to refrain from accepting candidate deposits for the 2023 Local Government Elections until further notice. Hapuhinna noted that he had received orders by the Cabinet to direct all the district secretaries in this regard.
The Election Commission however directed all district returning officers to accept deposits placed by political parties and independent groups for the Local Government Elections.
Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake in a letter to all district returning officers said that it was their responsibility to accept deposits placed by political parties and independent groups as the district returning officers had been appointed as returning officers in respective districts through an extraordinary gazette notification issued in terms of the powers vested in the Election Commission through the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance.
The commission also said that it was the responsibility of the returning officers to accept nominations from 18 January until noon on 21 January.
The massive outcry against the move resulted in the letter issued by Hapuhinna to all district secretaries asking them to refrain from accepting cash deposits for the Local Government Elections being recalled.
The Ministry Secretary has stated that the Elections Act itself had not empowered the divisional secretaries to accept nominations or pledges for the Local Government Elections. The authority to accept the nominations and security money in that election will be given to the assistant election commissioners, he has added.
The commission stated that it would summon Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, and Local Government Secretary Hapuhinna to inquire about the letter which he had issued to all district secretaries.
Hapuhinna however apologised to the Election Commission on Friday (13) for issuing a letter to the returning officers asking them not to accept deposits from candidates for the Local Government Elections. The Ministry Secretary had told the Election Commission that he had issued the letter to implement the Cabinet decision and that he did not have any intention or purpose of interfering in the activities of the Election Commission.
Meanwhile, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary, MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara filed a writ application before the Supreme Court requesting to quash the letter sent to the district secretaries by Hapuhinna. A total of 85 individuals, including Cabinet Secretary W.M.D.R. Fernando, Hapuhinna, the Cabinet, Prime Minister, and Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, and Local Government Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Election Commission Chairman Nimal Punchihewa and Election Commission members, all returning officers, and the Attorney General have been named as respondents in the petition.
The commission meanwhile on Friday (13) informed the Supreme Court that all steps had been taken to hold the Local Government Elections in accordance with the law. President’s Counsel Saliya Peiris appearing for the Election Commission made these remarks when a writ petition filed by a retired Army Colonel on the Local Government Polls was taken up before a Supreme Court three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya.
The petition has been fixed for support on Wednesday (18). The petitioner had sought an order quashing the decision of the Election Commission to hold the Local Government Elections before 10 March, as is being reported in the media.
Funding issues
Meanwhile, Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake has said in Kandy recently that the postponement of the election was not the task of the Election Commission as it was the duty of the commission to implement the legal requirements as stipulated by the Elections Ordinance. The commission will proceed with its duties relevant to the election until any court action, he has said.
“A Budget allocation of Rs. 10 billion is available to hold the Local Government Elections, but we expect to manage with a lesser expenditure. According to the Electoral Register of 2022, 16,856,629 people are eligible to vote. The Election Commission is going ahead with the preliminaries of the Local Government Elections prior to 19 March,” Ratnayake has reportedly said.
Officials of the Election Commission last week met with Treasury officials to discuss the issue of securing funds for the polls. Following the meeting, the commission had told the media that the Treasury had agreed to allocate the required funds. However, it was later learnt that the Treasury had not given such an assurance.
The Treasury officials, it is learnt, had informed the commission officials that it was difficult to source all the required funds at once and that they could be made in several instalments. It is also learnt that the Treasury officials had not given an outright assurance on when these instalment payments could be made.
A new alliance
A new political alliance aimed at the Local Government Elections was formed last week – the Freedom People’s Alliance. It is a coalition of six different groups – Nidahasa People’s Council led by G.L. Peiris and Dullas Alahapperuma, Supreme Lanka Council led by Wimal Weerawansa, and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) led by Maithripala Sirisena, as well as three other political parties – Mahajana Party (Asanaka Navaratne), Jana Jaya Party (Anura Yapa), and Freedom People’s Front (Dr. Nalaka Godahewa).
However, the Freedom People’s Alliance had been formed under the Freedom People’s Front led by Godahewa and candidates under the new alliance will be fielded under the party’s ‘helicopter’ symbol.
The newly-formed alliance is governed by a Leadership Committee of 30 members while the slots in the committee have been divided among the six coalition partners. Accordingly, the SLFP has seven slots, Nidahasa has seven slots, Supreme Lanka has seven slots, and the three smaller parties have three slots each in the committee.
It is learnt that the basis on which the new alliance was formed was purely for the Local Government Elections and not to form a government or as a future electoral front.
However, the SLFP had initially sought the new alliance to be set up under a body under its control. The first proposal made by the SLFP was for the new alliance to be formed under the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) under the ‘betel leaf’ symbol. The other proposal was for the alliance to be formed under the SLFP itself.
Both proposals presented by the SLFP were turned down by the other coalition partners. They had pointed out that the new alliance could not be formed under the UPFA since there was an ongoing legal issue where its Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera had challenged the unilateral appointment of Thilanga Sumathipala as its General Secretary by the SLFP leadership. As for contesting under the SLFP, the groups had said it was better to move forward with a new alliance and a new symbol.
The SLFP had reluctantly agreed in the end, while expressing its displeasure. It was then decided that the post of general secretary of the new alliance be given to the SLFP. Accordingly, Sumathipala was appointed as the secretary of the new alliance.
However, the signing powers of the new alliance remain with the general secretary of the Freedom People’s Front, which is the party recognised by the Election Commission. The fact that the SLFP leadership was not considered for the leadership of the newly-formed alliance has resulted in some friction between the SLFPers and other coalition partners.
The new alliance had also agreed that it could contest the Local Government Elections in the North and East Provinces under the SLFP’s ‘hand’ symbol while the rest of the bodies would be contested as an alliance under the ‘helicopter’ symbol.
The coalition partners of the alliance had also informed the SLFP that the party could not contest some bodies under the ‘hand’ symbol and the others under the alliance’s symbol (excluding the north and east).
SLFP breaks away
However, by Friday (13), the SLFP seniors and the leadership had reached an agreement that the SLFP would contest the Local Government Elections under the party’s ‘hand’ symbol.
The SLFPers believed that the party should be given the prominent role in the newly-formed alliance as it was the single largest party in it. Also, several SLFP organisers had objected to the quota given to the SLFP in the nomination lists being prepared by the new alliance.
Finally, a group of SLFP seniors had made representations to the party leadership that the SLFP should contest under the ‘hand’ symbol or that they would field independent lists from their electorates without contesting under any alliance. It was then decided that the SLFP would contest under the ‘hand’ symbol at the polls.
Nevertheless, even by yesterday (14) afternoon, the constituent partners of the new alliance had not been informed by the SLFP of its move to contest separately.
It is also learnt that following the Supreme Court judgement on the Easter Sunday attacks, where SLFP Leader, former President Maithripala Sirisena was fined Rs. 100 million to be paid as compensation to the bomb victims, Sirisena is likely to make an announcement in Parliament this week and step aside from election campaign work, including that of the newly-formed alliance.
MR to shift
Amidst the preparations for the upcoming hustings, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is to return his residence at Stanmore Crescent in Colombo this week. He is to return to his official residence at Wijerama Mawatha in Colombo 7 following its refurbishment. It is learnt that religious ceremonies are to be held in the refurbished residence prior to moving in.
UNP-SLPP alliance talks
The UNP and SLPP seniors met last Sunday (8) evening to discuss the formation of a broad political alliance for the Local Government Elections. The discussion was focused on reaching a common working programme that would address the ongoing crisis and present solutions that could help uplift the economy and assist the people.
The two sides had also discussed the possibility of contesting some Local Government bodies under a common symbol while the parties would also look at contesting some Local Government bodies separately under the symbols of the respective party. The SLPP side had proposed that the UNP should contest in Colombo, Kandy, and Nuwara Eliya under the ‘elephant’ symbol.
The SLPP side had also proposed that it has been discussed in the SLPP that the party should contest under the ‘veena’ symbol of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) led by Douglas Devananda in the north and contest the east under the ‘boat’ symbol of Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan’s Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP).
However, the UNP side had also posed a question to the SLPP about its move to sign nomination lists and make the deposit payments on behalf of the party to contest the Local Government Polls. The SLPP side had assured that the party was keen on forming a broad alliance with the UNP and that the party had taken steps to make the first deposit payment for the polls from Kalutara in order to ensure the ruling party’s commitment to hold polls while pushing Opposition parties back on their campaign calling for Local Government Elections.
The SLPP had also proposed that all parties/individuals currently seated in the Government side should be part of the proposed broad alliance as it should be a ‘pro-Government’ one. It was also suggested that if any member in the Government would not be part of the proposed alliance, they should also be asked to relinquish any posts they held in the Government.
It is learnt that last Sunday’s meeting had ended on a positive note, with both the UNP and SLPP teams meeting again on Tuesday (10) to discuss the nomination lists to be presented by the two parties for the impending elections.
The SLPP was represented by SLPP National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa, SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Johnston Fernando, and Sanjeewa Edirimanne at the meeting. The UNP side included Vajira Abeywardena, Sagala Ratnayaka, Palitha Range Bandara, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Ravi Karunanayake, and Ruwan Wijewardene.
Range under fire
While discussions between the UNP and SLPP were progressing, a comment made by UNP General Secretary Range Bandara on Tuesday (10) stirred what seemed to be a hornet’s nest.
The statement by Range Bandara referred to the formation of an alliance between the UNP and SLPP. This statement was even telecast as ‘breaking news’ by a private electronic media station. The news was not well received by members of the UNP and the SLPP. Calls started to flood the telephones of seniors of both political parties. A majority of the members of the UNP and SLPP had expressed their displeasure at the forming of an alliance between the two parties.
The party seniors had to then explain to the members that there was no move to form an alliance between the two parties and that talks were based on forming a broad political alliance and contesting under a common symbol.
However, Range Bandara had by then stated that while an alliance would be formed between the UNP and SLPP, the parties would contest some bodies under the UNP’s ‘elephant’ symbol, some under SLPP’s ‘flower bud’ symbol, and others under a common symbol.
‘Swan’ returns
With a majority of the UNPers expressing displeasure over forming an alliance with the SLPP and, worst of all, contesting some bodies under the SLPP’s ‘pohottuwa’ symbol, the UNP seniors engaged in talks with the SLPP decided to focus more on pushing for a common symbol.
The UNP seniors met with several dissident MPs of the SLFP as well. The meeting between UNP seniors and SLFP dissidents took place on Friday (13). During the discussion, the SLFP dissidents also expressed displeasure over forming an alliance with the SLPP. They also pushed for a broad alliance under a common symbol.
It was during this meeting that contesting the election under a known common symbol – the ‘swan’ – was discussed. The ‘swan’ symbol was used at the 2015 Presidential Election campaign by then common candidate Maithripala Sirisena. The SLFP dissidents explained that forming an alliance under such a symbol that was already known by the people could help move out of the conundrum of contesting under the ‘elephant’ or the ‘pohottuwa’. The UNP seniors also agreed that it was a sensible move.
The matter of a common symbol was once again taken up for discussion that evening during another round of talks with the SLPP. The SLPP side had not disagreed with the proposal of contesting under a common symbol, but maintained that the party needed to contest some bodies under its symbol.
It was the opinion of SLPP theoretician Basil Rajapaksa that while a majority of the people still harboured angry feelings towards the SLPP, the Local Government Polls would provide them the opportunity to vent their anger. Basil opined that the SLPP could only start its rebuilding programme once the people had vented their anger against the party. “Once they (the public) get their anger out at the Local Government Elections, we (SLPP) can rebuild our base in time for the next national-level election,” Rajapaksa noted.
However, the discussion had ended with both parties agreeing to explore the possibility of contesting some bodies under the ‘elephant’ symbol, some under the ‘pohottuwa,’ and some under the ‘swan’.
Nevertheless, the UNP organisers continue to prepare nomination lists for the polls to contest under the ‘elephant’ symbol while the SLPP organisers continue to prepare lists under the ‘pohottuwa’ symbol.
Independent groups
Given the ongoing discussions on forming political alliances targeting the Local Government Elections and the difficulties in reaching a consensus within a short span of time, an increasing number of independent groups are likely to enter the hustings.
Groups of members of the UNP and SLPP have expressed displeasure at the alliance in the making between the two parties and are forming several independent lists for Local Government bodies.
Meanwhile, dissident parliamentarians of the SLFP met for a discussion on their plans for the Local Government Elections at the residence of former Party Leader and President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (CBK).
The discussion was attended by the SLFP MPs who have extended their support to the Government. Several independent parliamentarians, including the New Lanka Freedom Party (NLFP) led by Kumara Welgama, are preparing nomination lists to field candidates under an independent list.
Given the lack of clarity in reaching a consensus on a pro-Government alliance, the SLFP dissidents are now in the process of preparing independent lists for several Local Government bodies.
New Tamil alliance
In the wake of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) announcing that the party would contest separately at the upcoming Local Government Polls, two constituent parties of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) – the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) and the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) – had held preliminary discussions with the Tamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani (TMTK) and two other parties in the north and the east on the possibility of forming a coalition at the forthcoming polls.
TMTK Leader MP C.V. Wigneswaran had told the media that the parties were most likely to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) soon. “We have had a preliminary discussion and there is a possibility that TELO, PLOTE, the Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), the Tamil National Party (TNP), and our party will sign an MoU this weekend. We are working on it and it should be possible,” he had said.
Talking reconciliation
Meanwhile, the TNA last week met with President Wickremesinghe for a discussion to fast track the release of military occupied lands in the north, full implementation of the 13th Amendment, and the release of prisoners held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
The beginning of the three-day meetings commenced on Tuesday (10) evening at the Presidential Secretariat. TNA Spokesman MP M.A. Sumanthiran had told the media prior to the meetings that the TNA delegation would comprise himself, Wanni District MP Selvam Adaikkalanathan, and Jaffna District MP Dharmalingam Siddharthan.
However, following the meeting on Tuesday, the TNA noted that there was no progress at the meeting and that a timeframe of one week had been provided to the Government to examine the issues relating to missing persons, the release of PTA prisoners, and lands in the north and, depending on the reply, they would decide on whether or not to meet again.
Sumanthiran told the media on Tuesday that the TNA would not be meeting Government representatives from the following day to discuss devolution-related matters as decided earlier since there had been no progress on the above-mentioned issues.
“During the meeting with the Government, we discussed the current issues of our people. Issues relating to missing persons, PTA prisoners, and the release of lands were discussed. We discussed varying actions in regard to these three issues. However, the situation was the same as the last time; there was no progress,” he added.
Sumanthiran also stated that his party representatives had pointed out the existing constitutional provisions in relation to devolution and stated that it could be implemented immediately. “A proper answer in this regard is yet to be given. They said that they would inform us within a week in regard to all these issues. We have decided to meet again if they inform us within a week. Earlier, we decided to meet from Tuesday to Friday (13), for four consecutive days, to discuss the above issues. However, due to this circumstance, we will not meet during the next three days. Depending on the feedback received after a week, we will decide if we will meet again. Dates will be decided accordingly.”
However, the Government maintained that its efforts to finalise the reconciliation plans with the TNA had progressed to the next stage following the meeting between the President and representatives of the TNA. Accompanying the President were Minister of Justice Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry.
During the talks the TNA outlined its three main demands and the President, who had previously instructed his officials to expedite the release of the LTTE prisoners, once again gave assurances that this would be completed.
However, according to sources, TNA MP Sumanthiran had at this point pushed for the inclusion of those responsible for the bombing of the Central Bank. This request had been denied by the Government, with those present explaining that the Central Bank bombing had cost too many lives and the families of the deceased would not be agreeable to this. TNA Leader R. Sampanthan had spoken up stating that it was understandable with regard to this particular case and that they would not pursue this further.
With regard to the 13th Amendment, the President had taken the opportunity to remind the TNA that this was not a matter he could unilaterally decide on, but rather it would have to be decided upon by Parliament. He had explained that last month during the All-Party Conference on reconciliation this matter had been raised and the Party Leaders had agreed that they would discuss this further.
On the issue of lands, the President had explained that while the security forces had made preparations to hand over the remaining land back to their original owners, an issue had been raised over several plots of land which the security forces claim are necessary to retain to help combat smuggling operations. It was promised that this matter would be further examined and an answer given by this week.
It is expected that further discussions will be held this week between the two groups.
However, following discussions, the Government was thrown off-side with the news that Canada had chosen to impose targeted sanctions on several Sri Lankans, including former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Human rights spotlight
The Sri Lankan Government has raised concerns over the timing of the recently-announced sanctions by Canada targeting four officials of Sri Lanka, including former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
According to highly-placed sources, during a meeting between the Foreign Minister and Canada’s Acting High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Daniel Bood, these concerns had been raised. Canada’s representative had been questioned over the timing of the sanctions, with attention being drawn to the fact that the President and his Government had undertaken to finalise a comprehensive reconciliation plan by 4 February. This past week several rounds of discussions were held with members of the Cabinet and members of the TNA on the reconciliation efforts.
The question was raised as to why it was nearly 14 years after the end of the war that such sanctions were pursued. In fact some sections of the Government have questioned whether the sanctions are aimed at ensuring accountability or to derail the reconciliation efforts.
With the majority of the Parliament in favour of the reconciliation talks, the sanctions have brought about the possibility of the hard-line factions in Parliament once again reviving opposition to meaningful measures.