Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has been prevented from functioning in office by a Court of Appeal interim order, described himself as 'Wedanathi Agamathi (Prime Minister without work).

Speaking to the media in Kandy, Rajapaksa said no where in the world had a Prime Minister been prevented from functioning in office by an interim order. 

Rajapaksa's lawyers have already filed an appeal against the Court of Appeal interim order in the Supreme Court. 

However, the former President did not go into details about the court case. 

Rajapaksa also said the UNP, his rival party, had woken up from the deep slumber. 

"All this time when the country was in the doldrums and the national assets were being sold, the UNP was fast asleep. They have suddenly come back to life when Ranil Wickremesinghe has been ousted, " Rajapakaa explained.