Actress Damita Abeyratne has accused former MP Hesha Withanage of orchestrating a conspiracy that led to her exclusion from the Samagi Jana Balawega’s nominations for the Ratnapura district. In an interview on the program What Happened? aired on Ada Derana, she recounted her experience with emotion.
“I treated Hesha like my brother,” Damita began, reflecting on their relationship. “He suggested we apply together from Ratnapura. When I expressed my interest, Sajith sir assured me, saying, ‘We are here for you. Just let us know what you need.’ I received permission from the nomination committee and signed the nomination on the 8th.”
However, the situation took a turn when Damita spoke with another party member, Mrs. Kaviratne. “I said, ‘We need to change this by the 9th,’ but I sensed that Hesha might have been scared. I believe this was a conspiracy.”
Despite the setback, Damita remained resolute. “I’m not sad about it. I had requests from many other places, from other parties and independent groups. But Hesha destroyed a human right.”
She recalled a moment of confrontation with Hesha at the Kachcheri in Ratnapura. “When I met Hesha, I congratulated him first. But then he said, ‘Damita, I have a little problem. Can you wait for a while?’ He went to a room and came back with some shocking news. ‘The General Secretary fired you at 2:30 last night, sister,’ he said. I was taken aback and asked, ‘What kind of work is this?’ It was so unexpected.”
Damita’s emotional testimony highlighted her disappointment and confusion over the events that unfolded, and the full video of her interview provides more context to her claims and the unfolding drama surrounding her nomination process.
