In an interview with BBC Sandeshaya, he has also refuted allegations that the economic fall down was due to the foreign credit he had obtained.

According to him, all the loans were repaid on time, but the new government had obtained a lot of credit on the short-term, including from India to be repayable in one year.

Wrong management

Now a Kurunegala district MP, he blamed the wrong economic management of the government for the collapse of the economy.

While paying back the loans, income was increased during his administration, Rajapaksa said, noting that despite income from the port and the expressway and low oil prices, the present regime was denying concessions to the people.

There is no proper economic and administrative management and no leadership either, he charged.

He welcomed the resumption, even belatedly, of the Chinese projects he had launched.

The ex-president said the rupee would not have depreciated and people would have had money, had those projects were expedited, but today, there are queues in banks and at pawn brokers.

The present government has no time to solve the country’s burning issues, as it is busy full-time taking revenge from him and other top persons of his administration, Rajapaksa claimed.

New party?

He did not give a direct answer as to whether he was leveling such strong criticism in order to start a new party, but said his attempt was to help take the government on the correct path.

He said the government could not stand criticism, and when it loses its temper, it orders that the critics be taken to the FCID or some other place and court action filed.

Rajapaksa also refuted allegations that the present economic crisis was due to the serious acts of corruption and fraud during his administration.

He pointed out that ministers and MPs of the present regime too, were accused of wrongdoing, about which the people were well aware of.

(part 2 of the interview tomorrow)