Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Rajitha Senaratne stated that former president Mahinda Rajapaksa did not understand why he lost the presidential election.

Taking part in the ‘Mahajana Sewaya Pinisayi’ political program on Swarnawahini last evening, Senaratne said that people voted Rajapaksa out because they needed freedom and democracy. He said that many rulers in the world lost power because people chose liberty over material wealth.

Senaratne cited several leaders such as Marcos of the Philippines, Ben Ali of Tunisia and Gaddafi of Libya, who lost power due to popular protest. Gaddafi, Senaratne pointed out, asked those who captured him as to what he did not give them. He had created immense wealth in a country which used to be backward. Yet the people wanted liberty, which Gaddafi could not understand. Gaddafi and his henchmen enjoyed this freedom, Senaratne pointed out. He added that this is the truth Rajapaksa also failed to understand.

Speaking further, Senaratne added that Rajapaksa was a pleasant person until certain ‘foolish’ people made him a ‘king.’ They even made songs, comparing him to a king. This changed the person completely, Senaratne said.