Ramanayake was invited to act as a go-between by closest friend of the PM and ITN chairman Saman Athaudahetti.

When asked as to why the president has made a strong statement about the FCID and independent commissions, Ramanayake has told Athaudahetti the president was disappointed over the manner in which members of his party were being persecuted by those institutions.

At the request of Athaudahetti to mediate, Ramanayake met the PM at Temple Trees and raised the matter with him.

Ramanayake also telephoned Bribery Commission’s director general Dilrukshi Wickremasinghe, who was touring Malaysia, and got her to change the decision to resign.

The deputy minister is one of the UNP members who are having a close relationship with the president, pursuant to advice given him by minister Mangala Samaraweera that someone was needed to closely liaise between the UNP and the SLFP.

It was also Ramanayake who has informed the president that the commission DG has changed her decision.