These reports warned him about a political conspiracy to divide the SLFP, discredit him among the military and to damage his image in civil society.

He was armed with evidence when he alleged the CID, FCID and the Bribery Commission were working to a political agenda when dealing with certain complaints against the former Rajapaksa regime.

The president had intended to relieve UNP’s Sagala Ranayake of his law and order ministry and give it to the SLFP, but has since withdrawn that idea.

To make Gotabhaya clean

Meanwhile, it has been said in the legal circles that the accusation against Gotabhaya Rajapaksa that he had caused a loss of Rs. 11 billion to the state by permitting the floating armoury under Avant Garde was a weak and baseless one.

It is most likely that he could get acquitted and then he would enter politics with a clean image, with the case being seen as a conspiracy to absolve him.

The Bribery Commission has hastened in this matter, while the CID and the presidential investigation unit were still carrying out investigations.

The president has been critical of his not being informed before court action was filed, and also the accusations against military officers, as it is him who has to answer to the country and the world.

The Security Council too, discussed the case at its meeting last week, attended by military chiefs and top officials of the CID and FCID.

At the cabinet meeting, the president criticized the court action, while the one due next week is to have a crucial discussion regarding the matter.

He has pointed out that Avant Garde accusation against Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was a weak one, and instead, he could have been taken to courts over the MiG deal and financial frauds in the D.A. Rajapaksa Foundation for which there was clear evidence against him.

The president also objected to the delay in investigations and legal action against armed forces members, as he could be the subject of discontentment among them.

The director general of the Bribery Commission has evaded him when he questioned her about the case.

She is presently overseas, and it was a plant by certain media that claimed that she had decided to resign from her position.

State intelligence has also told the president that Gotabhaya Rajapaksa could have a sort of understanding with the UNP, as he has had several telephone conversations with a top UNP minister about the investigations against him.

Also, a top government figure had a meeting with Yoshitha Rajapaksa at the home of a businessmen accused of being responsible for shady deals during the previous regime.

UNP figure behind smear campaign over nightclub brawl

Meanwhile, a journalist attached to a national newspaper has told the president that a top UNP figure was behind the campaign to discredit his family over the nightclub brawl in Colombo some nights ago.

A website with links to the UNP and a television channel and a newspaper owned by members of the Wickremesinghe family had claimed Daham Sirisena was involved in the incident.

There has also been criticism against the delay in the attorney general’s department delaying legal action with regard to more than 50 complaints of serious crimes committed during the previous regime.

The accusation of a conspiracy and the president’s having made a controversial remark have led to a turning point in the country’s politics.

Many political figures linked to the Mahinda Rajapaksa faction have now accepted the president’s standpoint.

NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa has admitted his political project was in peril due to the president’s remark.

Although many who had contributed to his elevation to the position of president have criticized the remark, political analysts see it as a final warning issued to the Rajapaksas.