Lanka Citizen

Making a popular image of Ranil is Prof Shroeder’s job, the two Asian superpowers are backing the two candidates, adds the Times

One of the chief advisers of his [Ranil’s] campaign is a German academic Prof. Shroeder, whose services have been obtained by party chairman Malik Samarawickrama through a German Foundation.

According to the Shroeder Doctrine - who has produced a single sheet campaign plan, the UNP candidate must show compassion, kiss-babies, press-the-flesh, give a glass of milk, roll out the goodies, and keep it simple. He must match Mahinda Rajapakse’s populist approach in equal measure, spending one week with the youth, one week with farmers etc., and keep the final week to deal with the ethnic issue.

But time is now running out as we get closer to the wire. His party machinery is still stuck, as the Colombo-centric operatives manning his campaign refuse to see what’s happening (or not happening) in the hinterland. He would have had no problem in winning if he was to face Rajapakse and the SLFP machinery, but with the JVP youth out in their numbers, in rain and sunshine, at day and in the night, the UNP campaign seems to have placed over-reliance on their US dollars 5 Million (Rs. 500 Million) advertising campaign to get their message across to the voters.

Several party-heavyweights have been sidelined in the process, and new bucks pushed to the forefront to ensure a Wickremesinghe victory, as speculation emerges about geo-strategic play by the Asian superpowers, and as to who is backing which candidate in the race for the presidency.

Courtesy Sunday Times, Political Column