Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had barely finished his speech when Minister of Tourism and Sports Navin Dissanayake lashed out at him, saying that the people will put Rajapaksa’s name in the ‘dustbin of history.’

 

Updating a status on Facebook, Dissanayake said that there was nothing new in Rajapaksa’s official statement on competing forthcoming general election. It had the ‘same old stuff’, Dissanayake quipped.

 

“Mahinda same old stuff...old tape...nothing new for the people...people will put you in dustbin of history...sad to see you fall step by step like this,” the statement said.

 

In a relatively long speech lasting a half an hour, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on July 01 officially announced that he will contest the upcoming general election. However, Rajapaksa did not state the party from which he plans to contest and also failed to say if he will be the Prime Ministerial candidate.