Senior Lanka opposition leader claims 'revenge politics' as former minister arrested

A senior leader of Sri Lanka's main opposition, the United National Party (UNP), on Thursday, alleged that the arrest of former minister Champika Ranawaka was the beginning of "revenge politics" by the Rajapaksa government. Ranawaka, who was the urban development minister before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected on November 16, was arrested on Wednesday late night from his home over a 2016 traffic accident in which a youth was seriously injured.

He was accused of producing his driver, instead of himself, as the one behind the wheels at the time of the accident. "Revenge politics of the (Rajapaksa) regime has begun in style," said Harsha de Silva, a senior UNP leader and a former minister.

Ranawaka also said the case was closed in 2016 but has now been reopened due to "political revenge" against him.