The final rites of the late Minister MKADS Gunawardena will be held in Kantale on January 23.

Gunawardena passed away yesterday at a private hospital in Colombo at the age of 69.

He was a veteran SLFP politician from Trincomalee District and served as the Deputy Minister of Buddha Sasana under the Mahinda Rajapaksa government before defecting with the then Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena to the opposition.

Gunawardena was appointed to Parliament from the UNP national list following the August 2015 General Election and was appointed Minister of Lands.