Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa will never be the next Prime Minister since the United National Party will win the upcoming parliamentary election.

He made this observation at a press conference at Sirikotha, the UNP headquarters.

Even in the unlikely event of a UPFA victory, Rajapaksa will not become the Prime Minister, the Minister further said. He explained that under the 1978 Constitution and the 19th Amendment, President Maithripala Sirisena has the authority to decide on the Prime Minister. On his July 14 speech, Sirisena was clear about his opposition to Rajapaksa becoming Prime Minister, the Justice Minister said.

He also said that the UPFA denied nominations to a few former MPs not because they were corrupt, but because they would have denied victory to several UPFA salwarts.