Former Foreign Affairs Minister Ravi Karunanayake was ‘forced’ to resign to prevent a split within the national unity government, parliamentarian Vasudeva Nanayakkara said.

Addressing reporters at a press conference at the N.M. Perera Memorial Hall in Colombo today he said that had the no-confidence motion against the former Foreign Affairs Minister been taken up, it would have resulted in a split between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP)

He further said that the former Foreign Affairs Minister had entered into a deal with the government: ‘They promised him they would look after him like they looked after Tilak Marapana if he resigns,” Nanayakkara alleged.

He further said that Justice and Buddhasasana Minister Wijeydasa Rajapakshe was not the only Minister to have spoken against the Hambantota Port agreement – “Minister Susil Premajayanatha did too,” he pointed out.