As Sri Lanka braces for a tough fight in the upcoming presidential elections,a campaign to run down former Army Chief and war hero Sarath Fonseka appears to have begun with allegations made that he dithered to accompany President Mahinda Rajapaksa on a visit to Kilinochchi frontlines in the thick of war. An official website claimed that after Lankan troops had cleared Tamil Tigers from Kilinochchi,Rajapaksa wanted to tour the city and asked Fonseka to accompany him. But Fonseka showed reluctance saying that the war with the LTTE was still on and no risks should be taken. The website construed that Fonseka did not have the courage to go to the frontline. The website quoting unnamed defence circles said it was Rajapaksa who had declared war on the LTTE after the Mavil-Aru incident. It claimed that Fonseka was nowhere in the scene. Even during the final days of the LTTE war,Fonseka had not visited the battlefront they claimed, the website claimed. The President had convinced Gen Fonseka saying not to worry or fear as he would be in the company of the President. Finally Fonseka had acceded reluctantly to the request of the President retaining fear in his mind, the statement on the website said. Meanwhile,there is a growing clamour among politicians to shift to Indian parliamentary system of democracy,with former President Chandrika Kumaratunga joining the chorus of supporters. Describing the existing system of executive presidency as dangerous,Kumaratunga has come out in open in support of shifting to Indian parliamentary system or the British pattern.
