Provincial politics, DUNF, Thondaman and conversations with Colvin

Premadasa and Lalith and the need of the UNP to have a charismatic leader of the front rank emerging from the JRJ era.

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Thondaman with his people and grandson 'Thamby'

Gamini, Wickrema Weerasooria and I had many discussions regarding the DUNF and its future operations. At the same time Gamini talked to Premachandra, Monty Gopallawa and other DUNF leaders about his dilemma. Clearly an important decision had to be taken regarding the future of the DUNE.

A mixed bag

The Central Provincial Council was a good introduction to the realities of Sri Lankan politics. Of all the Provincial Councils, save perhaps the Western Provincial Council, it was the CPC which had a range of our national ethnic minorities represented within

it. This was mostly because Nuwara Eliya district, which was one of the three districts represented in the CPC, had a large number of voters from the group previously known as Indian Tamils or estate Tamils. Similarly there were significant numbers of Muslims in the three districts, many of them domiciled from the time of Sinhala kings and referred to as Kandyan Muslims with Sinhala "Ge"names.

There were also many urban Tamils from the group known as Ceylon Tamils who were mainly engaged in business. Ceylon Tamils were also well represented in the professions in the Central Province. The Sinhalese though constituting the majority of the voters were also ranged in terms of upcountry Sinhala and low country Sinhala, with the latter having a disproportionate influence due to their economic dominance. Many of them were powerful behind the scenes and tended to support their favourites belonging to other communities.