2019 Images Viral As Recent Cordial Getogether of Ranil, Hirunika & Chandrika!

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As the presidential election is supposed to be held in the latter half of 2024, there are already a number of discussions in the political arena about possible tie-ups. One such scenario being projected by some is the possible coalition of SJB along with President Ranil Wickremasinghe.

Against this backdrop, a series of viral images implied that there are already indications of this coalition, stating that Hirunika Premachandra, a prominent female politician from SJB and former president and a key figure in Sri Lankan political circles, Chandrika Kumaratunga, were caught on camera recently having a cordial discussion. Let's look at the purported claim in detail.

Social Media Posts

Viral claims on social media suggest that former parliamentarian and Samagi Jana Balaewegaya (SJB) women's wing leader Hirunika Premachandra, known for her frequent criticisms of the current President and his government, was recently seen in a cordial dialogue with President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The photos also purportedly show former President Chandrika Kumarathunga present at the event. The captions of the posts suggest that such forces have teamed up as a result of the growing power of the NPP.

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Below is another instance when these claims went viral.

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We decided to do a fact-check on this.

Fact Check

Reverse Image Search: A reverse image search reveals that the photos used in these posts are not recent. They were taken at one of Ranil Wickremesinghe's birthday parties (which was held in Temple Trees) during his tenure as Prime Minister of the Yahapalana government in 2019. We found the original photos in the below Facebook post of Hirunika Premachandra on 25th March 2019.

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Political Affiliation: When the photos were taken, Hirunika Premachandra was a member of President Wickremesinghe's party, the United National Party (UNP). Therefore, her attendance at such an event was not unusual.

Furthermore, Chandrika Kumaratunga has teamed up with Ranil Wickremasinghe in several past elections, and even in the 2019 Presidential election, which was held a few months after this photo, in November 2019, Chandrika pledged to support UNP-backed candidate Sajith Premadasa.

Timeline of Events: Following the defeat of the UNP candidate in the November 2019 Presidential election, the party underwent a division. The current opposition leader, Sajith Premadasa, formed a new party (SJB) in 2020, and a majority of UNP parliamentarians at that time, including Hirunika, joined Samagi jana Balawegaya.

Denial by Hirunika Premachandra: When asked about the alleged recent discussions or meetings with President Wickremesinghe as depicted in the photos, Hirunika Premachandra denied such interactions. She clarified that no recent cordial discussions or public meetings have taken place between her and President Wickremesinghe recently.

Lack of Corroborating Evidence: Independent searches across various sources failed to uncover any recent cordial discussions or public meetups between Hirunika Premachandra and President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The renowned adage "in politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies" underscores the fluid nature of political alliances and rivalries. Political animosities should not dictate personal relationships, and this is commonly understood in political discourse.

However, in nations like Sri Lanka with limited political literacy, there's a prevalent misconception that political adversaries must also be personal foes. This misconception fuels the emergence of divisive sentiments and posts, hindering constructive dialogue and cooperation in the political sphere.

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Conclusion:

The social media claim suggesting a recent cordial meeting between Hirunika Premachandra, Chandrika Kumaratunga and President Ranil Wickremesinghe is false. The photos in question are from a past event in 2019, during which Hirunika and Ranil were members of the same political party, UNP.

It's essential to exercise critical thinking and verify the authenticity of such claims before drawing conclusions, especially in the realm of politics, where misinformation can be rampant.