A Businessman, who is known as “Grease Yaka” among UNP circles, has been barred from entering ‘Sirikotha’, the UNP headquarters, due to the behind-the-scene role he played in the Tissa Attanayake saga.

It is widely believed that the businessman, who is a close friend of Tissa Attanayake, was also a “go-between” in the deal, despite being a regular visitor to Sirikotha. In fact, he was considered to be one of the chief “financiers”of Attanayake, when the latter was the General Secretary of the United National Party.

 In the recent past, he had developed a close relationship with the government through an influential member of the first family. The UNP is of the view that “Grease Yaka” betrayed the party by facilitating Attanayake’s crossover barely a month before the presidential election.

Alongside the famous businessman-Parliamentarian who was the main negotiator of the Tissa Attanayaike deal, “Grease Yaka” too played a key role by easing the deal through by carrying tales to Attanayake against Mangala Samaraweera and Malik Samarawickrama.  After his crossover, Attanayake charged that Samaraweera and Samarawickrema were the ones who made his life difficult at Sirikotha!

However, following Tissa Attanayake’s crossover, which came as a shock to the rank and file of the party, “Grease Yaka” has become a persona-non-grata at Sirikotha. He is hardly seen at the party headquarters these days and Sirikotha insiders say ‘Grease Yaka’ will now take care of the country’s health sector with Attanayake at the helm of the ministry.