Growing tension within Govt.: Call to PM

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was due back in Colombo after attending to Avurudu protocols at his hometown of Tangalla and in Nuwara Eliya to call on Venerable Muruttetuwe Ananda Thera today amidst growing tension within the government following a verbal spat over the telephone conversation between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and SLPP Parliamentarian Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe earlier in the week.

This was after the monk telephoned Prime Minister Rajapaksa on Friday to brief him about developments after he made a public statement critical of the Colombo Port City draft Bill along with SLPP MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe on Thursday.

Mr. Rajapakshe went public on Friday saying President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had exchanged strong words with the MP after he criticised the Port City project as a prospective ‘Chinese colony” and asked for Police protection for him and his family.

Government spokesman and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said action should be taken against the MP for violating the principle of ‘collective responsibility’ as a party member, the party constitution and for having made baseless accusations.