Kategoda in an interview with the BBC's Sinhala Service "Sandeshaya" said that he decided to leave the Democratic Party and support the government after a request he made to President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

"The president was in agreement to my request and his (Danuna's) release was a result of that request I made", said Kategoda in the interview with the BBC's Sinhala service "Sandeshaya"