Finance and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera, one of the staunchest critiques of the Rajapaksa family, visited Medamulana last night to take part in a religious ceremony to commemorate former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's brother, Chandra Rajapaksa.
Samaraweera was accompanied by his Private Secretary Lakshmi Jeganathan.
He was greeted by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa and former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
The religious ceremony at the former President's house was conducted by Medagoda Abhayatissa Thera, a Buddhist monk closely associated with the former Defence Secretary.
Samaraweera also held a brief discussion with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the latter's house in Medamulana. A source close to Rajapaksa who was present at the house when Samaraweera visited said it was a "friendly" discussion.
He also added that Samaraweera was a long-standing friend of the Rajapaksa family. "In fact, Minister Samaraweera started politics with former President Rajapaksa in 1988-89. Both of them were instrumental in forming the Mothers Front which called for inquiries into disappearances," he said.
Chandra Rajapaksa worked as the Private Secretary to the Minister of Ports and Shipping under the Rajapaksa government of which Sirisena was a senior minister.
He died in Tangalle earlier this week, at the age of 70.
