Non-Cabinet Minister Harsha de Silva says he condemns the act of distributing mudslinging leaflets against Presidential Candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa with absolute disgust.

Two persons have been arrested, yesterday (10) over distributing derogatory leaflets against Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

One of the arrestees was identified as a coordinating secretary employed under Non-Cabinet Minister Harsha de Silva.

Issuing a statement on the matter, Minister de Silva stated that this had been carried out by a political activist who is currently employed in his office.

He stated he requested the responsible persons to immediately halt the operation. He added that he tried to contact Gotabaya Rajapaksa on the phone immediately; yet, the call didn’t go through.

“Mudslinging is not their politics. We reject mudslinging politics”, he said.

Officials of the Elections Commission raided a house in Mirihana, Nugegoda where they discovered a stock of mudslinging leaflets among the promotional material of Presidential Candidate Sajith Premadasa.

The officials had seized a suspect distributing the leaflets, who revealed that he had been instructed by former Municipal Councilman Jayantha Hemasiri. Later it was revealed that former Municipal Councilman is currently employed as a coordinating secretary under Non-Cabinet Minister Harsha de Silva.

Subsequently, the two suspects were arrested by the Mirihana Police.