"We did not at any stage come forward to support the government or discuss any proposal with them and no one told us they do not need our support", Vithanage told the BBC's Sinhala Sandeshaya service in an interview.

He reiterated that the BBS had made no statement to the effect that if the Muslims supported Common Opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena there could be racial riots in the country.

Vithanage was responding to a question about the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress assistant secretary Nizam Kariapper claiming in an interview with the BBC that the Muslims feared they could be attacked by the BBS for supporting Maithripala Sirisena.