The government now needs not activists and change-makers but thugs to keep in power, veteran artiste and political activist W Jayasiri said.

Speaking at a recent press conference Jayasiri said that he was not surprised at President Maithripala Sirisena to award an electorate organizer post to Kamal Indika, who had attacked the Aluth Parapura.

The use for the agents of change has expired. There is no need for a change in the coming years and therefore, they are discarded, Jayasiri said further.

However, the government needs people to stay in power. Therefore, the government is awarding various positions to the people they want, he added.

Jayasiri also said that they had campaigned to defeat former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Now tht we have done it, we cannot get anything else done, he argued.