It was at that juncture that Mahinda Rajapaksa had suddenly resigned as chairman of the SLFP, he said at a media briefing.

Dissanayake confirmed a weekend newspaper report which claimed the president has given orders against arresting Shiranthi under whatever charge.

Not for any love for party, country

Rajapaksa relinquished the SLFP leadership not for any love for the party or country, and his claims in this regard are false, he said.

As soon as the present government launched investigations into corruption, fraud and irregularities of its predecessor, representatives of Rajapaksa had met president Sirisena.

The president has told them that Shiranthi being the former first lady and Namal being her son and an MP as well, they should not be arrested without on concrete grounds, but that he would not interfere in the investigations.

Rajapaksa left the position pursuant to the situation with regard to allegations against Shiranthi over the Siriliya account and the accusations against Namal, said Dissanayake.

He went onto claim that Rajapaksa, despite his claims that he had never betrayed the SLFP, had left the party once.

Speaking further, the minister refused to accept the joint opposition’s assertion that 1,401 local government members had attended a meeting in Negombo yesterday in support of Rajapaksa.

Dissanayake admitted there recognition for Rajapakasa in the lower level of the SLFP, but noted the party lost minority votes due to his having taken the party to a racist approach.