Public Foots the Bill as President Hits the Campaign Trail Amid Falling Approval Ratings

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is set to embark on a nationwide rally tour, with the series of public gatherings framed as part of a JVP/NPP organisational restructuring effort, according to media reports. The announcement comes at a particularly sensitive moment for the administration, as a recent public opinion survey has revealed a significant decline in the government's approval ratings.

A Reorganisation Drive or Political Barnstorming?

The rallies, which are expected to take President Dissanayake to multiple locations across Sri Lanka, have been described officially as part of a broader JVP/NPP reorganisation campaign. However, the timing and scale of the events have prompted questions among observers and critics about whether public resources are being utilised to shore up flagging political support rather than serve a purely administrative purpose.

When a sitting head of state takes to the road for a string of public rallies, the line between party activity and the exercise of presidential duties can become blurred — and with it, the question of who ultimately bears the cost.

Approval Ratings Take a Hit

The backdrop to this rally series is a troubling one for the ruling administration. A newly released public opinion survey points to a sharp drop in the government's approval ratings, suggesting that the initial wave of public enthusiasm that swept the JVP/NPP to power may be losing momentum.

• The survey indicates a notable erosion of public confidence in the government's performance.
• The findings have added urgency to the ruling party's efforts to reconnect with its voter base.
• Critics argue that taxpayer-funded presidential logistics should not serve partisan political objectives.

The Cost to the Public

At the heart of the controversy is a fundamental question of accountability: when a president travels the country delivering speeches at party-aligned gatherings, the security detail, transport, logistics, and associated state machinery do not come free. Those costs are borne by the Sri Lankan taxpayer, regardless of which party is in power.

When the machinery of the state is deployed in service of a political party's reorganisation efforts, it is the ordinary citizen who quietly picks up the tab.

This is not a concern unique to the current administration — successive governments in Sri Lanka have faced similar criticism. However, given that the JVP/NPP rode to victory on a strong anti-corruption and good governance platform, the optics carry particular weight for President Dissanayake's government.

A Test of Principles

The NPP's rise was built substantially on public frustration with the political establishment and promises of a cleaner, more transparent style of governance. As approval ratings slide and the President prepares to rally supporters across the island, the administration faces an early but important test of whether it can distinguish between the responsibilities of the presidency and the interests of the party.

How the government navigates that distinction in the weeks ahead may well determine how much further those approval numbers fall.