Rising Nishantha facing downfall

With the Southern Provincial Council (SPC) coming up, the voices of the candidates too were being heard. Among them is Nishantha Muthuhettigama, the self proclaimed aspirant for the SPC Chief Ministerial post.

But then entered controversial tele/cinema star Anarkalli Akarsha. Though she was not a challenger for the Chief Minister’s post, she apparently was gaining more support due to her popularity. This may have made Mr. Muthuhettigama a bit vary and he had allegedly threatened the actress turned politician with death.

On a complaint from Ms. Akarsha, police were to take him into custody, but Muthuhettigama could not be located. When the case was taken up at the Galle Magistrate’s Court, an arrest warrant was issued on him. Subsequently, Muthuhettigama surrendered to courts on the same day and was released on surety bail of Rs. 100,000.

However, addressing the media on September 19, Nishantha Muthuhettigama said that the Police in the south will have to take a vacation after he wins the SPC polls and becomes CM. Police powers of the Southern Province will be taken over by him.

He added that this step had to be resorted to, to rid the police of the existing abuse, corruption and misdeeds. He added that that he respects only the President and not the Inspector General of Police.

Following this outburst Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickremarathne stated that he was to appoint a special CID team to investigate into the comments made by Southern Provincial Council Candidate Nishantha Muthuhettigama about the Police and the PSD.

Later he was taken into custody and after being produced in court was remanded on charges of unlawful assembly among others. When the case was taken up on Tuesday, he was further remanded till September 28 by the Galle chief Magistrate.

Court also directed police to get a psychiatrist to examine Nishantha Muthuhettigama and forward a report on the next date of hearing.

Thus, Nishantha Muthuhettigama who first entered the SPC in 2004 with the third highest preference votes may find his popularity dwindling due to his political outbursts, without realizing that it would end in his carefully built cocoon of a balloon from bursting.