Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa has claimed that the National People’s Power (NPP) government is struggling to govern the country effectively without the presence of a Rajapaksa in power. He argued that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa remains central to Sri Lanka’s rural political landscape, and the current government continues to revolve its politics around his legacy.
Speaking to the media, Namal Rajapaksa stated, “A situation has arisen where this government cannot govern the state on a day-to-day basis without a Rajapaksa. That is why we are waiting. The government’s incompetence is becoming more evident.”
He further asserted that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the ruling party still recognize Mahinda Rajapaksa as a dominant political figure, acknowledging that rural politics in Sri Lanka has been shaped around him. According to Namal, the government’s political survival depends on constantly attacking Mahinda Rajapaksa’s character, but he expressed confidence that Mahinda’s political record will be difficult to erase.
Addressing recent debates on compensation for damaged properties during political unrest, Namal Rajapaksa criticized the government’s stance, questioning the double standards in assessing compensation claims. He argued that those responsible for setting fire to properties are now debating the compensation given to the victims. He also pointed out that if the government trusted valuation reports for certain cases, they should apply the same standard across all compensation claims.
His remarks come amid ongoing tensions between the Rajapaksa-led opposition and the current administration, with both sides accusing each other of political manipulation and mismanagement.
