The wife of late State Minister Sanath Nishantha says she would consider embarking on a political career to fill the void left by her recently deceased husband if a request is made.

Attorney-at-Law Chamari Priyanka made these remarks while speaking to the media after visiting the bereaved family of the late lawmaker’s security officer who died in the fatal expressway accident on January 25.

State Minister Sanath Nishantha and Constable Anuradha Jayakody suffered tragic deaths in a crash which took place in the early hours of January 25 on the Colombo - Katunayake expressway. Although the duo had been rushed to the Colombo North Teaching Hospital in Ragama, both were pronounced dead shortly after. The driver of the vehicle, however, survived the accident.

Speaking further, Priyanka said: “My husband did a great service to the Puttalam District as well as to the people of the country. No one, who sought help from him, was ever sent away empty-handed. Neither I nor my children can wrap our heads around the fact that he is no longer here. It feels like a dream.”

Referring to certain media reports, Priyanka said she still has not made any official statement about entering politics.

She said despite serving as her late husband’s personal secretary and managing his political affairs, she had no intention of embarking on politics back then. “I still have no such intention.”

“However, if the people of the Puttalam District, the people of the country and the party leadership request me to fill the void left by my husband and take charge in his place, I might consider it. I now have a huge responsibility regarding the future of my four children.”

Addressing the criticisms, the widowed wife of the State Minister said he was a politician in the truest sense of the word and a person who dedicated himself to the well-being of the people.