It is said that former minister Dulles Alahapperuma has initiated this move and that the former President was not informed of this until he had made inquiries from Basil Rajapaksa.

According to reports, the former President has expressed his ire over himself being named as the Prime minister as well as the Defence and Buddha Sasana minister. Angrily he had said that he had been put to the situation of former Prime minister - D.M. Jayaratne.

He had further said that Shadow Cabinet had severely inconvenienced him and had made him a joke.

MP Namal Rajapaksa was named as the Foreign minister of the Shadow Cabinet. Expressing his views with several close aides, Namal has said that he was not experienced to handle a subject such as Foreign Affairs.