INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Ranil Wickremesinghe supporters are camped out at the Temple Trees residence in Colombo
chairs and the floor -- who have come to stand guard as he tussles for power with an old rival.Thousands of loyalists from across the
country are camped out at the Temple Trees residence in Colombo, a colonial-era bungalow where Ranil Wickremesinghe has been holed up since
his shock dismissal more than a week ago.Day and night they top up coconut oil lamps and keep jasmine-perfumed incense sticks burning in the
5,000-capacity banquet hall -- usually reserved for state dinners and VIP weddings -- while the 69-year-old plots his next move.President
Maithripala Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe on October 26 but he has refused to accept the decision or to leave the residence so former
strongman leader Mahinda Rajapakse -- who was named in his place -- can move in.S.M
Faheed, a 73-year-old diehard supporter of Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP), vowed to stay there until the constitutional crisis
is resolved."I will not leave until Ranil is given the PM's chair," Faheed said
"We are here to support him and make sure no one tries to throw him out of Temple Trees.""If I have to, I will stay here till I
die."Wickremesinghe has asked lawmakers to vote to decide between him and Rajapakse and end the crisis, but parliament has been suspended
since his sacking."If I win (Rajapakse) must stand down
If he wins, I will leave Temple Trees and move away," Wickremesinghe told AFP on Friday.But he will have trouble convincing his followers to
give way.Prayers for victoryShakuntala Devi travelled 400 kilometres (250 miles) from the Tamil city of Jaffna in the north of the country
to join the crowd that grows each day.Volunteers bring meals to Devi and others while Buddhist monks chant prayers that are broadcast on a
public address system within the premises.Devi said she wanted to show solidarity after Wickremesinghe's government built 5,000 homes for
people like her who were displaced by the civil war that ended in 2009."I came to show my gratitude to the prime minister," she said.Another
protester who gave her name as Sandya said: "We want to tell Sirisena: If you have any shame, call parliament and let our leader take back
world"."Sirisena is the most ungrateful man
May he be cursed and be struck by lightning," said Jayanthi Jayewardena, an elderly supporter.Sirisena won the presidency from Rajapakse in
2015 with the help of Wickremesinghe and his UNP
surprised him."Desperate people"Sirisena has cut Wickremesinghe's official bodyguard retinue and pool of limousines
A depleted plain clothes contingent now keeps watch over the residence while a private cleaning company has also been hired.A few police
residence which has become the centre of media attention, with crowds mobbing visiting politicians and asking for selfies.In comparison
have allegedly been offered to potential defectors and some lawmakers have already left the UNP.Wickremesinghe, who has been speaking to
local and foreign journalists while conducting talks with allies, said he was concerned that the power struggle could degenerate into street
don't know what arises in a situation like this
A few desperate people can start off a bloodbath."(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by TheIndianSubcontinent staff
and is published from a syndicated feed.)
