The editor of the Daily News, Rajpal Abeynayake, has referred to Muslim MP Rishard Bathiudeen as “a pig”, after his defection to the common opposition.
Abeynayake expressed his disgust at the defection in a tweet on Tuesday morning.
The MP was industry and commerce minister under President Mahinda Rajapaksa until yesterday, when he announced his decision to join the common opposition, alongside recently appointed national list MP Ameer Ali.
The Daily News is a state-owned newspaper and has the highest circulation of any English-language daily in Sri Lanka.
Related article: Ruling party minister defects to Sri Lanka's common opposition (22 Dec 2014)
What a pig, this guy who crosses over with the MP he was given after Azwer was asked to resign. Gross.
— Rajpal Abeynayake (@Abeynayake) December 23, 2014