Joint Opposition stalwart Kumara Welgama hit out at his party colleague Mahindananda Aluthgamage saying the latter was a " coward and a man without a backbone."

"Mahindananda has told a newspaper that I am a joker. But he did not have the backbone to say it to my face when we met at the party central committee last week. Aluthgamage did not have the guts to take part in the Nugegoda rally after Mahinda Rajapaksa fell out of power. Aluthgamage was in hiding those days,"Welgama hit out at the Joint Opposition Parliamentarian, addressing a public gathering. 

"We do not want a Presidential Candidate who hasn't done politics," Welgama said showing his opposition to the presidential bid by former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. 

"We only want a government led by Mahinda Rajapaksa. There is no alternative," he added. 

The MP said some Joint Opposition MPs were carrying out a "contract" given by the current government. 

"I have their names but I won't reveal them as I cannot spit in the air'" Welgama said.