This Betel leaf politico hailing from the Kegalle area, once a close loyalist of the former strongman threw in his lot with the Maithri camp when the party was in turmoil. By a bizarre turn of events, his onetime boss on whom he turned his back eventually became his campaign boss. There were several Blue party candidates in the same boat with him and some of them were hooted at by the crowds when they appeared on the same stage with the former strongman.



This particular politico knew the same ‘hoot treatment’ was in store for him if he appeared on a campaign stage in the company of the former strongman. And plagued by a blue funk of being a target of cat-calls, he had to avoid attending a series of propaganda rallies in his district.

The politico in utter desperation had later appealed to the former strongman to save him from a possible embarrassing situation at the final Betel leaf party rally in the district. The politico had bucked up some courage to face the worst, when the former strongman told him: “When you are in politics, you have to face both applause and boos alike. Otherwise, you should quit politics!”

Our worthy finally decided to make his appearance on the stage at the Betel leaf party final rally in the district. And as he got on to the stage, he was greeted by a deafening din of boos and cat-calls.  The crowds had later stopped booing following an appeal by the former strongman himself, they say.