Lanka's FM accuses Rajapaksa family of trying to grab power

Sri Lanka's Finance Minister today came down heavily on the family of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, accusing it of trying to grab power once again by misleading the public.

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the brother of the former strongman, may contest the next presidential election due in 2020.

He was the powerful defence ministry secretary during his brother Mahinda's nearly 10-year rule which was ended by President Maithripala Sirisena.

Gotabhaya last week gave a public policy lecture seen as an attempt to announce his candidature. Mahinda cannot run to be the president again.

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said: "Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who could be considered as the most corrupt and dangerous public officer ever appointed in this country is now talking like a child after rebirth".

"Instead of proving his innocence before courts against such charges, he has retained lawyers to obtain anticipatory bail. It is crystal clear that Rajapaksa siblings have been endeavouring to grab ruling power once again by misleading the public," he alleged in a statement.

Samaraweera has alleged that Gotabhaya was responsible for attacking journalists and disappearing them while engaging in other corrupt deals.

He charged that Gotabhaya was responsible for the international isolation of Sri Lanka based on human rights accountability.

The next presidential election must be called by November 2019. Since Mahinda is disqualified to run for a third term, three of his brothers Gotabhaya, Basil and Chamal are thought to be in the fray.

Gotabhaya's action to crush the LTTE's 30-year military campaign has made him a favourite among the Sinhala majority.

However, he is a dual American and Sri Lankan national which will be an obstacle to contest unless he renounced the US citizenship.