The People’s Struggle Alliance claimed that influential rice magnate Dudley Sirisena contributed substantial funds to sway the outcome of recent presidential elections. According to Indrananda de Silva, a parliamentary candidate from the alliance, Sirisena allegedly provided Rs. 100 million to current President Anura Dissanayake during the last presidential campaign.
De Silva, speaking at a public gathering in Gampola, asserted that he possesses evidence of these transactions, including a phone chat that details the alleged financial exchange. He further challenged that if his statements were false, he welcomed legal action to prove his claims otherwise.
“These are individuals trying to buy influence at the highest levels,” de Silva said, claiming that this is not an isolated incident. He also alleged that Sirisena’s family has been heavily involved in financing political figures, accusing Sirisena of providing Rs. 500 million to another presidential candidate, Sajith Premadasa, in a previous election.
In his speech, de Silva emphasized that these substantial financial donations raise concerns about the influence of wealth on democratic processes, suggesting that President Dissanayake’s association with such funds may be influencing his current actions in office. He noted that Dissanayake “has not a penny to his name since becoming president,” claiming the substantial contributions are impacting his governance.
