As widely expected in political circles, Anura Bandaranaike, MP, over the weekend reached an understanding with President Mahinda Rajapaksa to re-join the Cabinet, which he once dubbed as a ‘Carnival of Clowns’.

President Rajapaksa amidst tight security visited Visumpaya, where Bandaranaike had, since his latest crossover (from the ruling coalition to the Opposition), just before the December 14 final vote on the Budget, stayed despite a vacation order. The government slashed his security contingent from 72 to two, withdrew his kitchen staff provided by the Ceylon Hotels Corporation and his vehicles immediately after he joined the Opposition.

Altogether, he had over 100 workers provided by the government, sources said. Had Bandaranaike rejected the President’s overtures, he would have been removed from Visumpaya shortly, sources said.

The government also placed the former State Guest House under the protective custody of the Presidential Security Division (PSD). Despite a furious Bandaranaike publicly attacking the move, the PSD remained in control of the premises where a squad of PSD plainclothesmen subjected all visitors there to body checks.

Well informed sources said that the President, accompanied by Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanne, a Chandrika Kumaratunga loyalist, who was widely expected to follow Bandaranaike to the Opposition on the day of the final budget vote, had a friendly discussion, which lasted for over one hour. During the discussion, the President phoned IGP Victor Perera and directed him to provide some additional bodyguards to Bandaranaike. Although the government was not likely to restore the entire security contingent which Bandaranaike had been given before his crossover, a sizeable unit was expected to be assigned to protect the former National Heritage Minister.

Police top brass and government spokesmen who claimed that the reduction of the number of bodyguards provided to Bandaranaike and several other Opposition lawmakers including the recently assassinated T. Maheswaran was in line with a security assessment had been embarrassed by the directive to strengthen Bandaranaike’s guard.

SLFP dissidents Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathy Sooriyaarachchi, too, lost their bodyguards along with other perks and privileges when they challenged the President’s authority last February and were removed from the Cabinet.

Last morning, Bandaranaike left on a private overseas visit. Although his destination wasn’t known, he was expected to undergo a full medical check-up at a top class medical facility. On his return later this week, he was expected to re-assume the National Heritage Ministry, sources said. But some others predicted that Bandaranaike would get a better portfolio.

In the run-up to the December 14 vote, Bandaranaike, a former Foreign Minister also lashed out at the President over the country’s foreign policy. He quit the parliamentary committee on foreign relations after writing a hard hitting letter to Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona.

Courtesy - The Island