Former Army Commander and Democratic Party leader General Sarath Fonseka stated that a section of the United National Party was also in the attempt to deprive him of his parliamentary seat.

Speaking at a meeting in the party headquarters yesterday, Fonseka said that UNP Provincial Council member Srinath Perera was representing parliamentarian Jayantha Katagoda free of charge in the court case regarding the disputed parliamentary seat.

He further stated that elements within the UNP were also attempting to discredit President Maithripala Sirisena prior to the forthcoming general election.

Fonseka had earlier claimed that former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brother, former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, were behind Katagoda's refusal to resign from the parliamentary seat as he had promised.