Basil told me to join opposition – Risath Badurdeen

Monday, 29 December 2014 

Former minister Risath Badurdeen says that when he stressed to minister Basil Rajapaksa that he cannot remain in the government due to pressure by the Muslim community, he has been told that president Mahinda Rajapaksa would most likely lose the election, and he has sought his support to become leader of the opposition.

He said that when he made his decision known, minister Basil made no attempt at getting him to change his decision, but said approvingly, “Bodu Bala Sena is behind all this. Gota does not understand politics. The game cannot be won through Sinhala Buddhist votes only. The president and Gota do not understand it."

Risath has said so to a group of Muslim businessmen friendly with him, when they asked him as to why he had abandoned his very close friend Basil Rajapaksa.