Basil Was My Father’s PRO, He Has Forgotten That Today: Navin

December 10, 2014

Former government Minister Navin Dissanayake speaking at the inaugural presidential election campaigning rally of the common Opposition movement today said Minister Basil Rajapaksa used to be a staunch UNP supporter, even though he has conveniently forgotten that past today.

Addressing the gathering at the rally held in Kandy this evening, Dissanayake said, “Basil Rajapaksa was my father’s PRO in the Mahaweli project. Until my father employed him, he did not even have Rs. 10,000. He worked in that position for about eight years and even actively campaigned for the UNP, but today he has forgotten it all.”

Meanwhile, common candidate Maithripala Sirisena who attended the rally clad in a Modi-styled outfit said for the past six months the government spent over Rs. one billion in producing dramas, printing books and preparing DVDs containing defamatory material on the Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe because the Rajapaksas were convinced that the Presidential battle would be against Wickramasinghe.

“But little did he know that the man who would rise up against him was right there inside Temple Trees,” he said.

JHU frontliner, Champika Ranawaka who also spoke at the meeting pledged to oust Mahinda Rajapaksa from his seat on January 8, in the same way they paved way for him to take up the President’s seat in 2005 when he did not have either the party members or his brothers around him.

Meanwhile, President Rajapaksa flew to India today seeking divine intervention towards his victory at the upcoming polls. Indian media reported he is due to visit the Thirupathi Kovil in Andra Pradesh where he is to engage in religious rituals and receive blessings to ensure his victory at the Presidential election.