Basil Rajapaksa leaves for US

Former Minister of Economic Development and National Organiser of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Basil Rajapaksa, has reportedly left the country early this morning.

The UPFA Parliamentarian and his wife Pushpa Rajapaksa left through the VIP lounge at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake, Ada Derana reporter said.

He added that the ex-minister, who is the younger brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, left for Los Angeles via Dubai on Emirates flight EK 349 at 2.55am today (Jan 11).  

Meanwhile it was reported yesterday that the former President’s other younger brother, former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, had also left the country for Maldives immediately after the election results were announced.

However, the Maldivian Foreign Ministry refuted the claims that he had arrived at the Indian Ocean island nation in a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) plane.

“Maldives denies media reports that some key figures in the previous Government in Sri Lanka “fled” to Maldives after Sri Lankan Elections” read a post on the Ministry’s official twitter account.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the UPFA’s Presidential Candidate, suffered a shock defeat at Friday’s polls. He has assured party supporters that he would not leave the country and to continue to engage in politics.