Former Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa has claimed that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake harbours a “hateful attitude” towards him, stemming from long-standing political and personal differences within the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).

Speaking in an interview on the Hari TV YouTube channel with journalist Lahiru Mudalige, Weerawansa reflected on his political history and eventual departure from the JVP, suggesting that the animosity he perceives from the party’s top leadership extends to the President as well.

When asked how he believes the President views him, Weerawansa said he senses the same hostility he has experienced from senior JVP figures. He claimed that Anura Kumara Dissanayake played a key role in the process that led to his removal from the party, adding that his continued presence in the JVP may have been seen as an obstacle to the President’s own political trajectory.

Recalling earlier years in the party, Weerawansa spoke of a period of close camaraderie, noting that he and Tilvin Silva frequently visited the Kurunegala District, where Anura Kumara Dissanayake then served as the JVP’s District Secretary. He said Dissanayake would guide them to meetings on a bicycle, while others travelled by vehicle.

Despite these shared experiences, Weerawansa said that over time the relationship deteriorated, describing the President as among those who later viewed him with a “hateful attitude.”

Weerawansa also commented on his own political style, describing himself as an open and candid individual who finds it difficult to conceal his true feelings for political advantage. He remarked that his inability to “act” or play a role for political convenience may have contributed to his exit from the JVP, adding that had he been more calculating, he might still be within the party.

Concluding his remarks, Weerawansa said he prefers to live without suppressing his thoughts or feelings, even if that choice has shaped his current position outside the ruling political establishment.