Pivithuru Hela Urumaya General Secretary Udaya Gammanpila today said that former President and Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa did not sign the no-confidence motion against Ravi Karunanayake for strategic reasons.

Speaking at a media conference this morning, Gammanpila said that several other opposition MPs had also not signed the motion.

Prasanna Ranatunga and Wimal Weerawansa could not sign the motion as they were abroad, Gammanpila pointed out.

Others who could not sign include Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, who could not come to place his signature due to ill health.