Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday that no one should rejoice at the death of a leader and that he would like to offer his condolences over the death of former Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa Jeyaram.

He made this observation when he was asked about the death of Jayalalithaa, who was once an opponent of the Sri Lankan government, during the last stages of the war.

Jayalalithaa was then in the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, when the DMK - Congress alliance ruled the state. The Congress Party led UPA was in power at the Centre.

Rajapaksa recalled that Jayalalithaa was a popular figure in South India.