Mr. Senanayake's Victory
Within a few weeks of the death two months ago of her Prime Minister, Mr. D. S. Senanayake, Ceylon was plunged into a general election. There could be no better testimony - to the maturity of her citizens, and above all to the character of Mr. Senanayake's-son and successor, than the way in which these twin political crises have been overcome. The results of the election are to give the new Prime Minister, Mr. Dudley Senanayake, a working majority in the House of Representatives at least as large, and probably larger than, that which his father secured at the general election of 1947 (as ten independents have been elected the exact line-up of forces will not be clear until the House meets). This is satisfactory. The opposition to the majority party, the United National Party, is made up for the most part of sectional interests with a racial or ideologi- cal inspiration which could not have united to form an effective government. There was, in fact, at no time much likelihood of a defeat for Mr. Senanayake, but had the Opposition parties succeeded in gaining a few seats, instead of losing them, they might have been able to make themselves a nuisance. Ceylon has shown herself to be in almost all respects a model Dominion, and both the conduct and the result of the election will substantially confirm the good impression created.
Previous page
